Reluctant Acceptance
by Wing Knight
Summary: After being frozen for 100 years, with a threat of annihilation looming over the mankind, the government makes a promise to the mutants in exchange for their services. The promise: guaranteed acceptance in society. Will the XMen accept the offer? CH22 UP
1. Chapter 1

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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A group of teens ran through the devastated street. The buildings surrounding them were destroyed to ruins, and the whole Earth shook as explosions approached closer with every step. One by one, those who were behind fell to the ground, ending their futile efforts to escape the torment and destruction that swept through like a hurricane. Some of the teens in the front were now feeling the effects of the fatigue. As they slowed down, the whirlwind of destruction began catching up. An explosion near by sent a girl flying to the front. Her clothes were torn and burnt from the impact and the explosion. Her body was also bruised and bleeding. A teen with red hair and a visor quickly picked up the girl, and carried her along with him. A red haired girl supported the visored teen. Another girl who was with the red haired girl yelled out loud.

" Incomin!'"

They saw a cylinder with flame at its end dropping near their position. It wasn't big, but they knew what it was.

" Run!"

The few remaining teens increased their speed, however, the object landed close to them, sending the teens all over the place. The visor-wearing teen and the injured girl slammed against the building to the left, while the red haired girl and some of the others crashed through the windows of a shop. The visor-wearing teen struggled to his feet and hollered across the devastated street.

" Jean! You okay?!"

The red haired girl groaned then yelled back.

" Yeah, Scott."

Scott then looked at injured girl.

" Kitty. Kitty!"

The girl groaned and opened her eyes.

" Scott?"

" How are you doing?"

Kitty groaned.

" Feels like my body's broken in half or something…"

Scott managed to smile.

" Well, at least you're feeling good enough to joke around…"

On the other side of the street, Jean looked around to assess the situation. Most of her friends were okay, but she saw one of the Brotherhoods gripping his arm.

" You okay?"

The injured boy with white hair began complaining.

" YouthinkI'mokay? Lookatit! I'mbleeding!"

Jean sighed, then looked around further. She saw a body further to the street, barely moving from the pain. She rushed to the body, and her eyes widened with horror.

" Rogue!"

Everyone turned their eyes toward the body. In the middle of the road surrounded by senseless, and overwhelming destruction laid Rogue. Jean wanted to help, but she was unable to do so. She was powerless to help her friend. The others gathered around and gasped at what they saw. Rogue coughed up blood from her mouth and spat it to the ground next to her. She took off her glove and reached towards Jean.

" What is it?"

Rogue touched Jean for a moment, just enough to absorb some of her powers without making her pass out. Jean inquired in curiosity.

" What are you doing?"

Rogue put her gloves back on and looked around. She could feel the rumblings as the mechanized doom approached them. Rogue then looked at her body, which was a bloody mess.

" Go! Ah'll cover yah!"

Scott flat out refused.

" We're X-Men. We have to stick together!"

Rogue turned around.

" We'll all get killed! Now, go!"

The X-Men were hesitant to do so, while the members of the Brotherhood agreed.

" She's right… We better go."

Kitty's eyes fired up with anger.

" Lance! You want to abandon her to them?"

Lance reasoned.

" Look, if we stay here, we'll all die! You want that?"

Rogue felt the rumblings approach ever closer as seconds passed by.

" Get outta here! Now!"

Rogue used the borrowed power to push the others towards the path they needed to go. The others began running, all the while looking back to see what would happen to Rogue. Kurt was taking things the hardest. They were about to turn around a corner when they heard the roaring of the rockets. Kurt looked back, and gasped with terror. In front of wounded Rogue stood two gigantic robots called Sentinels. She didn't have a chance at all…

Kurt tried to help Rogue, but Evan stopped him.

" Hey, don't let her sacrifice be in vain! Come on!"

Kurt growled and followed Evan. There wasn't anything that he could do now…

Rogue saw the two Sentinels land in front of her, which made the ground shake with the force of impact. Rogue tried to get up, but failed. She looked back, and saw the others turn around the corner.

" Heh… Ah guess it's done…"

Rogue levitated herself from the ground and used telekinetic to push the Sentinels. She succeeded in pushing one of them when the second one aimed the familiar green-goo gun.

" Aw, shit…"

She created a barrier around herself just as the goo fired. It surrounded the barrier, then hardened. Rogue sighed inside then saw the trucks approaching her through green shade.

" Here to finish da job, huh?"

The men saw Rogue moving about within the hardened green shell and raised their weapons. While most of them pointed their guns, one man came with a jackhammer, and began breaking the shell down. The resulting acoustics ached Rogue's ears. She wrapped her ears with her hands, and tried to reduce the noise. However, her attempt to null the sound had failed. The echo from the barriers were too much. By the time the solidified goo was broken down, she was practically deaf. The soldiers with guns ordered her to lie down on the ground, but she couldn't hear anything. She stood dumbfounded, and one of them smacked Rogue's back, forcefully bringing her down to the ground.

" Bitch…"

The one who used the jackhammer tapped the soldier's shoulder.

" Hey, private. She was probably deaf from the noise…"

The soldier turned around with fire in his eyes, but didn't do anything else.

" Sarge…"

Sergeant sighed then ordered the others to continue ahead. He knew there had to be more.

" Search every inch of this city. Sewers, roofs, I don't care. Got it?"

The others nodded and took off. Rogue watched, and hoped that they would turn the wrong corner, but she sighed in defeat as they turned the right way. The sergeant came over, and turned her around, making her lie down belly side. He then pulled out a flex cuff, then tied her wrists. As he did so, another who stood in front of her began reading her the Miranda Rights.

" You have the right to remain silent…. You got that, mutie?"

From distance, Rogue heard the roaring of the siren approaching. She then saw the ambulance stop in front of her. The emergency crew laid her on the stretcher, then carried her into the ambulance. The sergeant came in as well, training his weapon on her incase she did something funny.

" Don't do anything stupid…"

Rogue groaned, and reexamined her body. It was now clear why the others were so horrified of her condition. Her front side suffered massive scrapes from the concrete road, while her backside was peppered with shrapnel's. The emergency crew tried to administer IV fluids on her but she stopped them.

" Don't touch meh!"

The sergeant aimed his weapon.

" I told you not to do anything funny…"

Rogue scoffed.

" If dey touch meh, Ah'll absorb dem… Dat's why…"

Sergeant became surprised, then saw the emergency crew wear the gloves to protect themselves.

" Well, why didn't you say so, missy?"

Rogue felt the IV needle penetrate her arm, then fell unconscious. The fatigue from the run had worn her out. The last thought that went through her mind was why she was being treated rather than leaving her to die. It didn't make any sense to her…

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Scott led the remaining group to the narrow ally, and found it blocked. Only path available was underground. He lifted up the cover and jumped down to the sewers. He took a quick look around the area and saw nothing unusual. He waved his hand.

" Come on!"

The others quickly followed suit. Evan looked around and smiled.

" Hey, we're not that far from the Morlocks."

Scott nodded.

" Let's go."

They ran through the maze of sewers, arriving at the usual hideout of the Morlocks. Callisto was there, surprised by Evan's presence.

" What are you doing here?"

Evan sighed.

" It's a long story…"

They sat against the wall, and tried to rest. Most of them had passed out, and began sleeping. Some of them, however, began pondering about the recent events. The events that led to this nightmarish scenario…

" I can't believe the professor is gone…"

Jean sighed and leaned against Scott, trying to ease his despair.

" I know…"

It was just yesterday when the whole world turned on them, started by the assassination of the Professor Xavier. He was on the hearing, trying to prevent the Congress from passing the anti-mutant laws. No one expected him to be killed on his way to the Capital. Since then, things had gone south. The Congress passed the anti-mutant legislation in an almost unanimity, and the troops were deployed to detain the mutants. The soldiers entered the mansion, arresting anyone inside. Mr. McCoy tried to reason with them, but one of the soldiers shot him in turn. Scott could still see the atrocious image of blood in front of his eyes. With Storm's help, they were able to escape from the soldiers. Even though, in the end, Storm was subdued by the soldiers. Scott then remembered losing his friends one by one. Multiple was the first. He tried to lure majority of the Sentinels away, and didn't return in time. He looked around, and found most of the new recruits gone. Although there was Bobby, the others didn't make it. Now, he lost one of the older kids, Rogue. He was sure that the soldiers, most likely the Sentinels, killed her. He couldn't imagine them letting her live, or the others for that matter. They were brutal, and efficient in the ways of handling the supposed mutant threat. In fact, they were so efficient that even Logan, the Wolverine, had been subdued. They were pretty sure that he was dead. Scott sighed and gazed at Kurt. He seemed to be taking things hard.

" Hey, Kurt… You okay?"

Kurt kept his silence for a while, making Scott uneasy. Jean came next to Kurt after she finished patching up Kitty. She tapped Kurt's shoulder, which caused Kurt to finally break down.

" I kan't believe Rogue ist gone! They kouldn't have killed her kould they?"

Jean tried to comfort him.

" She's probably alive… We just have to find her…"

Scott then looked at the Brotherhoods. It turned out that the Brotherhood was in the same shape as they were. Mystique was missing, and Magneto was also gone. The two groups were, in a way, without a leader. He stared at Pietro being attended to by Wanda, and the others reflecting on the events so far as he was doing. Scott was about to join the others in sleep when Callisto came in.

" The soldiers are closing in towards this position. We'll have to move."

Scott stood up, and woke up everyone.

" Come on! We have to move!"

Pietro whined as he was lifted up.

" Noway, man! Ican'tmove!"

Scott pushed Pietro towards where the others were going.

" If you don't want to end up like the others, move!"

Pietro sighed, and went on. Scott was about to move himself when he heard the footsteps approaching. Within a second, soldiers jumped out of the dark with their weapons raised.

" Freeze!"

" Get down! Get down on the ground!"

Scott hesitated about his choices.

' Do I resist and buy time? Do I follow their directions?'

His pondering was cut short as he heard the screams behind him. One of the soldier's radio came on.

" We got the rest of them."

Scott sighed, and laid down on the ground. One of the soldiers came over and flex cuffed him. While doing so, one of the others began reading him his rights.

" You have the right to remain silent…"

Scott looked back, and saw his friends being dragged to where he was. The soldier behind him raised him up, then shoved him into his friends. Scott collided with Evan who sighed.

" Almost got away with it…"

The soldiers then escorted the mutants to the surface. There was a large armored truck parked near by. One by one, the medical crew attached a metal bracelet on each of mutants' wrist, then pushed them into the truck. Scott saw the metal door slam behind him, and the whole compartment fell into darkness except for few spots from window. Scott sat on one of the benches on the sides. He saw the others as gloom as he was.

" It'll be okay. They didn't harm us so far, so… I mean, they already read us our rights, right?"

Kurt sighed.

" But would Rogue have had such rights? I mean… I zhink she vas killed…"

Everyone sighed. Jean also tried to use her powers, but found herself unable to do so.

" I can't use my powers… I…"

Bobby looked at his wrists.

" I think it's this thing…"

Everyone else sighed. They soon felt the truck moving.

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They rode for a while until the vehicle stopped. They were blinded by the outside light as two people opened the door. Before they could recover from the blinding ray, another man hollered out.

" Get out!"

One by one, the teens jumped out of the truck, and gathered around. As their eyes recovered from the light, they saw heavily armed soldiers in front of him. They began pushing them into the compound. First, they passed a large pair of metal doors that opened inward. Metal fences that had warning signs formed the narrow passage to the next building. Beyond the fences to the sides were guards dogs with guards. The dogs barked viciously as the teens passed by. Kitty flinched in fear as she heard each bark. Kurt placed his cuffed hand on her shoulder, and smiled as he could.

" It vill be fine…"

They passed through the door to the building, and the doors muffled the noise of the barking outside. There was another soldier waiting for them at a small post like a reception desk. As Scott was told to stop in front of it, the soldier spoke authoritatively.

" What's your size?"

Scott cocked his head.

" Of what?"

His question was about to be answered by the butt of rifle belonging to the soldier guarding him when the soldier behind the desk raised his hand.

" Shirt, pants, shoes, socks, and underwear… All of them…"

Scott nodded, and told the soldier the size for each of them. A moment later, the one behind the desk handed him a set of clothing and shoes.

" Go take a shower, and give what you're wearing now to the guard as you get out."

As soon as his hands grasped the clothes, the guard in charge of him pushed him towards the showers. Next, Jean told the one behind the desk everything he needed. She received the clothes and followed the guard to the showers. One by one, every mutants who were arrested were processed and led to the showers. In the showers, Scott covered himself as he saw Jean entering the showers. She also shrieked as well. The guard in charge of Jean yelled out loud.

" Get in!"

Jean turned around.

" But…"

The guard pushed Jean inside, and closed the doors. Jean groaned on the tile floor and got up. She walked slowly to the showers and began washing. They could hear the protest of the others entering the showers as well. Soon, the things have calmed down somewhat. The shower room was filled with mutants and Scott found some of Magneto's men. On the corner to the right, the gigantic Russian stood as well as the Cajun. The Cajun turned his head a bit to see some of the girls showering and whistled.

" Gambit thinks this is a good idea…"

The girls shrieked and started covering themselves. The ruckus prompted the guards to slam on the door.

" Shut up in there!"

The giant Russian finished his shower and walked behind Cajun, and covered his view with his massive body.

" I don't think it's polite to stare at women showering, comrade…"

Cajun scoffed, and continued to shower. While he was washing off, most people got out of the shower and changed into the prison garb. One by one, they gave away their clothes to the guards. Scott was hesitant to take off his visors. His guard saw it, and stood in front of him.

" Allow me."

He yanked the visor off and threw it in the bag along with the clothes. Scott closed his eyes to avoid damaging the environment when he heard the laughter of the guard.

" Come on, kid! That bracelet will not let your mutation show."

Scott opened his eyes slowly, and saw the environment just fine.

" Whew!"

He stood in front of the large door with his guard until he was joined by the others.

" You guys okay?"

Gambit smirked.

" Oh monsieur, we're okay. So don't worry, k?"

The soldier opened the door, revealing a column of rooms behind bars. There were some mutants already inside.

" Move!"

The mutants walked forward to the cell blocks. On the way, they looked side to side, witnessing the mutants who were captured before them. Most of them were conscious, and stared back. Scott saw a medical device in one of the cell, and a patient who was wrapped up with bandages and IV fluids attached to the arm. As he got closer, he saw the white bangs.

" Rogue!"

The other X-Men rushed along with Scott. The soldiers aimed their weapons.

" Step back!"

Disregarding their instructions, the teens continued their gaze. Kurt turned around, asking questions.

" Ist she okay? How ist she?"

The soldiers finally cocked their weapons.

" Step back!"

Slowly, the teen stepped back, and walked to their cells not far from where Rogue was. They were placed into the cells without any concern for gender. Scott was placed with Kurt, and Jean with Gambit, and so on. Kurt sat on the bed.

" Rogue ist okay…"

Scott sighed.

" But what are they planning? I mean, why are they leaving us here?"

Gambit smiled.

" They want to put us on trial, non? Well, Gambit thinks this is bullshit…"

Jean gazed into Rogue's cell right across the hall. She looked at the monitors and sighed.

" She's okay, though I think they drugged her a bit."

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In the darkened room, several men looked through the slide projections on the wall with grim expressions. After about ten minutes of slide shows, the room was lit again, and revealed several men dressed in uniforms and business suit sitting around a large circular seal of United States President. As the lights came on, the man in an one-seater-sofa sighed.

" Gentlemen, what's the situation so far with the mutants?"

One of the generals spoke.

" Mr. President, we account nearly 100 of all mutant population has been detained, and are being taken care of."

The president sighed once again.

" It's difficult for me to do the task that has been bestowed upon me by the Congress…"

One of the men in business attire leaned closer towards the president.

" Mr. President. This is for the best for the people of this country…"

The president eyed the man.

" Is it, Senator Kelly? As far as we know, mutants are still citizens of this nation. That means they get due process and rights. We've just taken some of those rights away…"

Senator Kelly spoke as soon as the president stopped.

" Mr. President, the Congress has already passed laws deeming the mutants as non-citizens. Also, there is no cure for being a mutant, therefore they are guilty of being a mutant for their life. All you have to do is follow the guidelines of the new Anti-Mutant law, Mr. President."

The president sighed.

" Senator Kelly, it is presumed that there is no cure. However, they may be given chance to be cured… in the future."

Senator Kelly sighed.

" Mr. President…"

The president sighed.

" Look, they're still teenagers. They should be given a chance to live a normal life."

Senator Kelly couldn't push any further. It was clear that the mutants' lives would be spared. He had to get the word out to the public, and create stir as to eliminate them all. He wasn't in a mood to let these mutants to continue to pose threat.

The president stared a the wall, for a while, then spoke.

" How about cryogenically storing them until the cure becomes available? They won't be a threat and it gives them a chance to start a new life."

The political advisor nodded in agreement, as well as the generals. They didn't like the idea of policing its own citizens. There were some sentiments still present among the parents of the mutants about the brutality in which the mutants were arrested, and were being treated. They wanted to end it as quickly as possible.

" Okay, I'll talk with the Justices of the supreme court about this, so… Gentlemen…"

The others got up and walked out of the Oval Office, and began discussing their thoughts outside. Kelly overheard the generals being relieved of hearing the decision to treat the mutants more humanely, and giving them chance to pull out. They really didn't want to be involved in policing the citizens of the United States. He stopped one of the generals and sighed.

" General Patterson, what do you think of this matter?"

The general sighed.

" Well, I agree with the president, senator. They should be given a chance to be normal like us. I mean, senator. They were born that way, without any choice. I'm a god-fearing man, senator. I believe they were created with purpose. Even if it may be harmful to us or not."

With that, he left Kelly behind. Kelly sighed in disgust and left the white house as well. There wasn't anything he could do here anymore.

Two days had passed and virtually all the mutants in the prison compound had regained their consciousness. Rogue was up and although she still wore the bandages around her upper body, she joined her friends in daily exercises.

" Mon petite…"

Rogue turned around to see Gambit. She sighed, and continued to walk. She had found out from the doctors in the ambulance that several of her ribs were broken, and it was making it hard for her to breath, and the stinging sensation that lingered whenever she breathed didn't help the matter. Since she couldn't sleep on her back, nor stomach, she figured out a way to sleep while still standing. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than applying pressure on her injuries.

" Mon petite… You okay?"

Rogue drew a deeper breath to speak, but felt a pain, and groaned. She then spoke softly.

" Does dat answer yahr question?"

With that, Rogue sat under the shade. Gambit passed by for his own things, and Rogue was soon joined by the X-Men.

" Hey…"

Rogue managed to smile through the pain. Kurt was just happy to see her alive.

" I zhought you vere dead."

Rogue smirked.

" Ah thought Ah was dead too… Arg…"

Rogue groaned and grabbed her chest with her arms.

" Darn… Dat hurt…"

The others tried to tend her wounds.

" Naw, Ah'm alright…"

Kitty accused Rogue.

" You mean, we're gonna, like, hurt you, right?"

Rogue sighed.

" Aw… Alright…"

With that, everyone burst into laughter, which Rogue tried very hard to suppress herself from doing so. The members of the Brotherhood and Acolytes came as well.

" Well, what's going on here?"

Scott became defensive.

" What do you want?"

Piotr raised his hands to signify that they mean no harm.

" We just want to discuss something, comrade…"

Scott raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

" What?"

Piotr began.

" We've noticed few of the mutants leave the facility and not come back. There's a rumor that they were killed. I believe, comrades, that the government is eliminating us little by little…"

Jean scoffed.

" I don't think so. We're eligible for due process. They can't do that."

They continued to discuss things, and a soldier came by.

" What are you talking about?"

Rogue quickly made up an excuse with a smile.

" Dey were talkin' about mah injuries, dat's all…"

The soldier smiled.

" Sorry about what happened… You feeling alright, missy?"

Rogue nodded.

" Yeah…"

Rogue then groaned, which caused the soldier to come closer.

" Take it easy…"

With that, the soldier turned around.

" Thanks, Sergeant Thompson…"

Sergeant Thompson turned around with a smile, then left. The others turned to Rogue with curiosity.

" You know him?"

Rogue sighed.

" He was leadin' dose soldiers who caught meh… He was quite nice…"

Kitty smirked.

" So, what's his first name?"

" Thomas… Sergeant Thomas Thompson…"

Rogue sighed, and got up with another groan.

" Well, we better get goin'…"

Everyone went back inside the cell blocks and went back to the routine of sitting bored. Rogue, on the other hand, was being treated by the medical crew. Rogue flinched each time the bandage came off from her wounds.

" Don't worry, that was the last time for bandages. Though your ribs are still a problem…"

Rogue looked at the doctor who, since the patient was a female, was also a woman. In fact, every medical crew was woman. The doctor looked at the charts and sighed.

" Too bad they won't allow that Wolverine guy to be released… Then you could be treated a lot faster…"

Rogue saw the scabs that had been torn off, revealing the newly grown skins. Rogue sighed, then put on the shirts again. She was about done when the doctor joked.

" You know… with your pale skin, there's not much of difference…"

Rogue nodded, and finished getting dressed. She got out of the infirmary and to her cell. She got in, then sat on the bed. The wait was really tiring everyone. The uncertainly that had enveloped their lives was really frustrating everyone. It was pretty clear that they were going to be eliminated one way or the other. She was amidst these thoughts when the she heard a cough.

" Excuse me. Are you Rogue?"

Rogue turned around and saw a man in business suit, and a briefcase.

" Yeah?"

" I represent the government of the United States, and I'm here to relay an offer. I've already talked with your friends, and I would like a chance to talk to you about it."

Rogue eyed the man suspiciously.

" Alright, Ah'll listen…"

With that, the guard unlocked the cell and led her to the room with a table, and two chairs. Rogue sat on the one end, and the man sat on the other.

" As you know, there is Anti-Mutant law in effect…"

Rogue grew frustrated, but kept patience.

" …Even though the government is executing the law, the president feels that the mutants should be given chance. So… Here's the offer. There are spots open for cryogenic prison. If you agree to be place in one of them, you will be placed in cryogenic sleep until the medical science has advanced to cure your mutation…"

The word cure caught Rogue's mind, and her eyes opened wide in correspondence. The man pulled out a set of papers, and slid it towards Rogue.

" If you sign the document, then you will soon be transferred to the cryo-facility."

Rogue grabbed the pen, but then stopped for a moment.

" Who else did yah ask?"

The man looked at a sheet of paper, and read it off.

" Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, one called Wolverine, and one called Kitty, and Ororo Monroe, and members of Acolytes, and some from Brotherhood."

Rogue flinched.

" What about mah oder friends?"

" I'm sorry… They're the only ones who made through the processing…"

Rogue stopped the signing, and gazed at the man. He tried to calm things down.

" Look, there are other people like me talking to some of the mutants. I'm sure your friends are being talked to right now by them…"

Rogue looked at the man for a while, then finished her signature. She then returned the document.

" Ms. Rogue, I wish the best of luck to you…"

With that, the man left the room. Rogue was then escorted back to her cell. She found herself a roommate as she stopped in front of the metal bars. She was pushed inside, and the guard closed the door. Rogue sat on her bed, and sighed. The other one walked up to her, displaying his violent behavior.

" Hey, that's my bed…"

Rogue looked up with cold eyes.

" What?"

" I said, that's my bed, bitch."

Rogue sighed.

" Look, Ah'm recoverin' from broken ribs, so Ah can't get on da top bunk right now… As soon as Ah heal, Ah'll get on da top."

The man spat on the floor next to Rogue, and smirked.

" Oh, I don't know about that, but you got one thing wrong. I'll get on the top.

The man grabbed Rogue's right arm, and twisted it to the back. Rogue's groan was muffled as her face was driven into the pillow. Jean across the hall saw what was unfolding with Gambit.

" Get the hell off of her!"

" Monsieur, I don't recommend what you're going to do…"

The ruckus has alarmed the soldiers doing patrol on the cell blocks. One of them rolled the rope around his waist and repelled down from the fourth floor. He landed in front of the bars, and aimed his weapon.

" Get the hell off of her, punk!"

The man let go of Rogue, and backed away. The medical crew rushed in under the cover of numerous soldiers. They brought out Rogue and took the to the infirmary, while the soldiers went into the cell. The one who repelled down struck him with the butt of his rifle and knocked him down. He then cuffed him.

" That's three strikes, Carlos…"

The soldiers dragged Carlos out of the cell, and fired a warning shot to silence the crowd. After things have become quiet, the soldiers dragged the prisoner out.

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The deal has been made with the strange man, but is the deal genuine? Will the mutants stand together, or is what has happened a testament to their incoherency?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	2. Chapter 2

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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The prison staff sat on a meeting, after the near miss rape episode. They had to resolve some problems for there to be an order.

" Okay, we know mixing different gender doesn't work now, so better separate them into same gender."

One of them sighed.

" Bringing Carlos here was the first mistake, sir. I don't think he'll be able to live with any of the inmates here now."

The officer nodded.

" You're probably right, Sergeant Thompson. I want that punk to be out of this facility by 0800 tomorrow. By the way, what's the situation of the victim?"

Sergeant Thompson sighed.

" She's fine sir. Luckily she avoided being raped."

" That's good to hear. By the way, sergeant. That mutant's going to be moved to the new cryo-jail. President's orders…"

Sergeant Thompson relaxed at the word. He was grateful that some of them would be given a chance. He then saw his commanding officer stand up, signifying the end of the meeting. He got up with the others, and saluted.

" Dismissed."  
Sgt. Thompson left the room, and went back to his patrol. He stopped by the infirmary.

" So, captain… How is she, ma'am?"

The female doctor smiled.

" Shocked a bit, but fine. I feel sorry for her though…"

Sgt. Thompson nodded.

" If she had her powers, then that guy would have been toast…"

The doctor nodded.

" Unfortunate, really… I'm going to get her back to her cell. Wait, did the colonel change the placement of the mutants?"

" Yes, ma'am."

The doctor let out a sigh, and cocked her head.

" Well, shouldn't you be on your patrols, sergeant?"

" Yes, ma'am."

Sgt. Thompson left, and went back on his patrol. Just as he left, the doctor turned to Rogue, who was still asleep. She tapped Rogue's shoulder, and woke her up.

" Hey… You need to get back to your cell now…"

Rogue got up, and clung to the blanket for a moment, then let it go.

" Thanks…"

Rogue got off, and walked more cautiously than usual. She stopped at the door, and turned around.

" Ah should have fought back, huh? All of it was mah fault, right?"

The doctor shook her head in sympathy.

" It wasn't your fault…"

Rogue sighed, and left the infirmary without further words. The doctor sighed, and went back to her routine. She knew that girl was blaming herself. She imagined that the girl had never faced even the possibility of the situation with her mutation. She felt partly guilty for taking her only means of defense she knew away from her.

' The things I do for those damn politicians…'

------

A truck stopped in front of the prison complex, where metal fences stood parallel to both sides of the truck. The back opened, and two soldiers hopped out. They stood on each sides with their rifle in their hands. The door to the inner complex opened and an officer stepped out. He received a set of papers from one of the two soldiers, and nodded.

" I'll be back."

The officer went into the building, and informed that the transport had arrived. Soon, some of the cells opened up, and Scott, Rogue, Jean, and other mutants who signed the documents came out. They walked carefully, following the lead of the guard. They stepped out of the building when one of the soldier stopped them.

" Hey, kid."

The soldier took out the visor and handed it to Scott.

" You might need it, so…"  
Scott nodded.

" Thanks…"

With that, the mutants were rounded up into the truck. Gambit took his spot in front of Rogue.

" Well, chere. How you feeling?"

Rogue grumbled.

" Oh, Ah'm fine! As fine as it can beh after bein' almost raped!"

Scott mitigated.

" Come on, settle down Rogue…"

Rogue scoffed, but calmed herself down. Rogue then looked around the truck to see some of her friends missing.

" Where's Bobby?"

Jean nodded.

" Yeah. Where is he?"

Kurt sighed.

" He didn't make it…"

Rogue became outraged.

" But dat guy told meh dat Bobby would join us! He said…"

Logan sighed.

" The President couldn't have given the deal to all of us. We are the lucky few. We'll have to live with it."  
Everyone then felt the truck moving. Piotr sighed, and leaned back.

" I have a question… What is this cryogenic process?"

Kitty's eyes widened.

" You've got to be kidding me! You are kidding, right?"

Piotr shook his head.

" No, I do not."

Kitty began.

" They're going to freeze you to preserve you."

Piotr nodded.

" I see…"

Jean sat quietly along with Scott to calm themselves. They saw the members of the brotherhood sitting nervously. Frankly, everyone didn't know why they were offered the deal. Rogue, especially wondered why she was given a chance to be left alive if being frozen was considered as being kept alive. She didn't have any valuable powers, nor was she in any other way special. She sighed, and decided to ask the others if they were responsible for it.

" Does anyone know why Ah've been given da deal?"

Jean's eyes went wide.

" What? You mean you don't know?"

Rogue shook her head.

" No. Ah don't know…"

Scott nudged Rogue's side.

" I heard that it was that sergeant Thompson. He found out that you weren't on the preliminary list, and made appeal for it. I guess he was successful…"

Rogue sighed, and dug her face into her arms.

' Sergeant Thompson…'

Rogue knew she was indebted to him, and most likely would never repay it. In the midst of her thoughts, the truck finally stopped. The rear door opened to reveal a column of soldiers, and guards. One by one, the mutants got off the truck. They nervously followed the path to the door.

The staff at the cryogenic room talked amongst themselves as they saw the mutants entering the room.

" So who's the first one, boss?"

One of the senior men flipped a page on his notepad. It showed a picture of hairy man.

" Wolverine."

With that, Logan was pushed into a well-like tube. The tube became enclosed and after about 20 seconds, the doors opened to reveal him inside a cylinder of ice. A gigantic arm carried the ice into a container, then it was lifted on to a conveyer belt that carried the whole unit into the storage facility. Everyone went into the chamber one by one, and came out as frozen chunks of ice. Rogue stepped into the chamber, since she was the last one on the list. She sighed, as she remembered what had happened to the others. She began thinking of what she would do when she was thawed, but just as she began contemplating such thoughts, the chamber was filled with liquid, and Rogue was frozen solid, and trapped inside the crystal form of the liquid. The block was moved into the container as usual and transported them to the storage room. The staff closed the records, and left the room. They closed the doors behind them, and sighed.

" Well, let's hope they have some luck in the future."

The other disagreed.

" Forget luck, buddy. We just got rid of those freaks among us."

" Sorry, but I think they should be given chance to be cured."

" Whatever… Where do you want to drink? The pub, or club?"

With those words, the staff members left the facility. They knew it will not be opened for a long time.

------

A group of men sat around a large table with holographic display of the Earth above the center. They wore a grim face, as if something serious had transpired. One of them finally opened his mouth.

" How much of our military strength is available?"

One of the other sighed.

" All of our space force, and most of our air force have been annihilated as you know. There's about 70 of navy and about 75 of army left. Our opponent is just way too powerful, and technologically advanced."

The first one nodded.

" So they've taken around half of our land mass… This isn't good…"

The others nodded.

" That's the case, Mr. President…"

The president looked at one of the staff.

" Is there anything we can do?"

A man in his forties thought for a while, and finally spoke.

" We still have mutants in our cryogenic facility. We can release them to fight against these invaders."

Another man nodded.

" I agree. These invaders are much like the mutants of the past. We can surely put them on good use."

The president nodded.

" I like your suggestion, Justice minister, and Defense minister… So how do we use them?"

The defense minister spoke again.

" I suggest we create a unit comprised of mutants. We should be able to use them like the special forces."

The others thought about it for a while. Although they had other plans, it seemed the most feasible for the current situation.

" We concur, President Bradford."

" Alright. It's settled then. Let's wake them up."

The Defense minister nodded.

" We'll need to get a leader for them, and training for them. It will take some time, but I think it will be worth it."

With everything settled, the group adjourned. However, the Defense minister stayed behind with the president.

" Okay. Who do you have in mind for the command?"

" Well, Mr. President… I had Lieutenant Alexander Bradford in mind."

" Alex? Why do you say that?"

" Well, sir. The generals reported that he seemed to have lost purpose in life. I believe that he can find it while leading these mutants in the battlefield."

" Okay. Minister, I just hope my son can live up to our expectations…"

A man of around early twenties sat alone behind a bar alone. His short, curly dark hair glistened with the lights over head. The bartender cleaned the glass with a clothe while watching the projection of news. The war wasn't going so well.

" Well, what are you doing here, sir?"

The man gulped down another shot of hard liquor, then slammed it down.

" My unit's gone… They've been annihilated a month ago…"

With that, the man poured himself another shot, and poured it down his throat. He had just tilted the glass back when two men in a military uniform came in. They looked around the bar for a while, then one of them pointed to the man on the bar. The two walked towards him slowly. The man at the bar smirked as he heard the footsteps.

" What? You guys here to arrest me?"

One of the two men reached into his pocket and took out an envelope.

" You are given a command…Lieutenant, I mean…Captain Bradford…"

The man's ears perked, and turned around.

" A command? Who? Who are the 'fine' men who will defeat these invaders? Come on… I had good men under my command, and I lost them. I lost my fiancé along with them!"

One of the man, who appeared to be a lot older than anyone inside the bar sighed.

" Captain, you will be commanding a platoon of mutants…"

Captain Alexander Bradford leaped to his feet and slammed his palm against the bar table.

" You want me to command a platoon full of stinking mutants?! Sir?"

The man sighed, and nodded to confirm Alex's question.

" Yes. The Defense minister and the President feels that they might give us the edge we need to defeat the enemy."

Alex sighed, and grabbed the envelope. He then pocketed it inside his trench coat. He saluted the two men and they returned his salute. The two men left, while Alex stayed behind. He paid the bill, and turned around. He took out a thick metal cylinder and placed it between his lips and front teeth. He worked his tongue to touch the end, where it released a chemical that acted like cigarette of time long ago. He sighed, and stepped out of the bar, and hopped onto his car. He then looked down at the photo that he had on the dashboard. He punched in some buttons and sat back.

" Home."

The car started up and began moving on its own, which left Alex to gaze into the photo of a girl with very short hair while he inhaled the futuristic cigar.

' I'm sorry, …'

As the vehicle stopped in front of a house, he placed the photo in his pocket, and got out. He then plopped down on the bed as soon as he entered the house. He turned around to stare at the ceiling and sighed.

' Shit… Why am I stuck with mutants? Out of all the things, mutants!'

------

In the cryogenic facility, the staff members ran around busy to thaw the mutants. They didn't knew much about the ones they saw frozen inside the containers, but they received a hopeful words of possibility of victory. They opened the containers one by one, and placed them in a room. Just as they finished their jobs, two men appeared inside. One of them had a military uniform and jar-head like hair cut. He stood outside the room, and stared inside.

" So, this is my command?"

The other one nodded.

" Yes, Captain. There's a long ways to go to get them shaped up, but I'd bet it'd be worth it…"

The captain sighed.

" Stinking mutants… I thought we got rid of them a long time ago…"

The other man nodded.

" They were given a chance to be cured. The president back then thought the future would give them a chance to adopt into society peacefully…"

" They'd be surprised to find out that they were awaken to fight a war…"

The other man shook his head.

" One of them used to serve in the military. It appears that he saw actions in World War II…"

The captain's eyes widened.

" No shit? You're not serious, are you? Sergeant?"

" No, sir."

They saw some of them regain their consciousness. He saw five girls, and ten men. He saw one of them and grumbled.

" How the hell am I supposed to command that blob?! If he's lucky, he'll die as soon as he enters combat!"

They saw the ones who awoke wake the others. Captain saw one of them with interesting hair.

" What's her mutation? Being stinky?"

The sergeant chuckled, then read the file.

" She absorbs other people's abilities, and things like that…"

The captain shrugged, and waited until everyone woke up. He drew a deep breath, and opened the door. The door slid open with a short whisper of air escaping. The stepped in, then waited for everyone to pay attention to them.

" Eh-hem!"

The others turned their attention towards the source of the sound. They saw two men in military uniform. Lance groaned in frustration.

" Damn it! I have to face these military punks again?!"

The younger soldier walked closer.

" My name…"

The mutants listened in.

" …is Captain Alexander Bradford of the Earth Alliance Army. You have been thawed because there is a situation that require your participation."

Kurt cocked his head.

" Vhat do you mean? Do you mean zhat zhere ist somezhing going on?"

" We are at war… The Earth is being over run by, well… aliens…"

Logan chuckled.

" Good one, but I don't buy it."

Captain Bradford sighed.

" Well, Weapon-X… I wish I was lying, but it isn't. Around 50 of the Earth is in their possession. We are making some progress as to developing effective weapons against them, but we're running short on manpower."

Rogue closed her eyes and thought for a while, and interrupted the captain.

" Well, first of all, tell us what year it is…"

Captain Bradford nodded.

" I'm sure you deserve the answer… This is the year 2103. As you probably guessed from my title, the Earth is a one big nation. We also have colonized the space…well, not far off from the orbit anyways…"

Rogue interrupted again.

" Wait… Dey said dat we'll be awaken when dere's cure… Is dere?"

Captain Bradford wondered why this one had obsessed on the idea of cure. He wasn't sure how she would feel with her powers. He, himself would have committed suicide if he found out that he was a mutant. He then sighed. That didn't happen anymore with the doctors screening the newborn for mutation. If there was, the doctors quickly cured it. That was another reason that these freaks were the only hope.

" Yeah… There's a cure… You will be able to return to the society after receiving the cure… But! The cure is only available after you finish the service."

Everyone sighed.

" Entrapment…"

Scott looked around.

" I guess we don't have much of choice…"

The others nodded in acknowledgement. Captain Bradford nodded at the sergeant.

" Let's get ready…"

The mutants were led outside. They saw the towering buildings, and automobiles that both flew and rolled on the road. Captain Bradford smirked, and pointed to a bus-like vehicle.

" Get in."

Everyone entered the vehicle one by one. Rogue took a spot near the window up on front. She stared at the wonders outside with the gaze that looked as if she no longer possessed her own soul. Alexander Bradford waved his hand in front of her sight.

" You there?"

Rogue snapped to attention, and turned around.

" Huh?"

Alexander sat on the spot across Rogue.

" So why do you want the cure so much?"

Rogue looked down at her feet, and then swallowed her own saliva.

" 'cause Ah've never been able to touch oders… Ah've always had to watch mah friends with envy, and jealousy… Sometimes Ah thought dat Ah won't beh able to be complete…"

Alexander's thoughts were struck with sympathy, though he reacted otherwise.

" Geez! What the hell am I doing talking to a mutant?"

Rogue's eyes flared with anger, and turned her sight back to outside. She grasped the railing in front of her firmly until her hands turned paler with pressure.

' Dat damned 'Captain' Bradford! He's gettin' on mah nerves!'

While Rogue was trying to calm herself down, the others began worrying about the days ahead of them. Logan was the only one who had a vague clue as to what was waiting for them. The bus continued for hours until it reached a facility surrounded by concrete walls outside of the city limits. As they entered, the mutants could see various obstacles for the course, and other facilities to aid training. Fred Dukes groaned.

" Do we have to go through with that?"

Lance smirked.

" Of course! That's what being a soldier's about."

The sergeant in the front smirked as he heard the gossip towards the back. He turned around with a sly smile.

" Of course, you all will lose current hair do. Everyone will have their hair shaved…"

Kitty's eyes widened.

" Us too?"

Captain Bradford got up as the vehicle stopped.

" Well, all females will have hair length no longer than Rogue here…"

Rogue grumbled and got up. She hated being the focus of attention. She just wanted to be left alone, although this 'Captain' appeared to be conspiring against her intent. Rogue followed the 'officers' to the barber shop. One by one, everyone sat on the chairs to get their hair cut. When the men were done with their cut, the women stepped in. Rogue sat on the chair, surprising Captain Bradford.

" What are you doing?"

Rogue cocked her head.

" What do yah think Ah'm doin? Ah'm cuttin' mah hair."

Alex sighed in frustration.

" Private, you will not cut this woman's hair."

The man with the trimmer backed off.

" Sir!"

Rogue got up, and snatched the trimmer away.

" Ah'll do it mah self!"

Rogue began shaving her head clean. Clump by clump, locks began falling on the floor. The others stood practically with their jaws wide open. Within seconds, Rogue stood in front of them bald.

" What?"

Kurt stammered.

" Uh… Rogue? Vhat are you doing?!"

Alex's eyes eased into what could have passed as smile as he saw the hairs on the floor.

' Rather impulsive…'

He then walked around Rogue to inspect the hair cut. He then saw a small spot that she missed in the back. He smirked, and grabbed a trimmer, then shaved the spot clean.

" Well, you trying to shave or not? Missing few spots like these…"

Rogue turned around, with her eyes flaring with anger. It appeared as if she was about to strike at the man when he walked off.

" Sergeant Morris. Let's get them to their barracks, shall we?"

Everyone walked through the open field where the other soldiers trained. Some of them began goading them.

" What are you doing here mutie? It ain't your war!"

" Yeah! Go back to where you came from!"

" You're next!"

Captain Bradford eyed their direction, which caused them to quiet down. Because of it, the mutants began wondering what sort of man was this Captain Alexander Bradford. Soon, they entered the barracks that was further away from the others. When they entered the gray, reinforced building, they found the inside rather comfortable. There were bunk beds, and uniforms laid on the top of the clean, and tightly tucked in sheets. Alex turned around.

" Alright. Find your name on the uniforms. That's your bunk for the duration of the training."

With that, he went into his own little room. Sergeant Morris gave further instructions.

" You are not to take off your bracelets until instructed to do so. Should you take it off without permission, you will be shot. You now have 24 hours of free time. Keep in mind that you can not leave the facility."

Sergeant Morris left the barracks, leaving the mutants to wonder about things amongst themselves.

------

Rogue looked at her dark gray uniform, and black boots. She gazed at the bottom to see Kurt. Rogue smirked as she saw his bald head.

" Ah didn't know yahr skin was blue like dat…"

Kurt smiled.

" Me neizher."

Logan sat with Ororo to talk things over.

" I guess we're responsible for them, Logan…"

" I don't know… Expect to see many things that you wont' normally see."

Ororo looked at Rogue.

" I wonder what had caused her to shave her head like that…"

" It's her thing… Let's leave it be."

Ororo nodded, and sighed.

" So, just how are we going to fight these aliens? If they need our help so badly, they would be formidable."

Scott and Jean overheard the conversation and joined in.

" We don't even know what they're capable of."

Kitty looked at the mirror and grumbled.

" Like, why do I have to get my hair cut?"

Wanda sighed.

" That's how military is… I'm surprised that they haven't forced us to cut our hair like Rogue over there."

Kitty gasped as if she abhorred the idea.

" So, like, why did Rogue do that?"

" I don't know… I don't even live with her… Why don't you figure it out?"

With that, Wanda got into bed, and closed her eyes to get some rest. The other Brotherhood members watched the others training outside. After checking the intensity of the training, Toad became worried.

" Man! We're gonna die. No way we'd survive the training."

Remy gazed at outside, and scoffed.

" Ain't nothing but work. When's the fun?"

Piotr tapped his shoulder, which caused Remy to wince a bit.

" It's going to be alright, comrade. We just need to take this training seriously."

Remy sighed, then saw some of the female officers walked in front of the barracks.

" Well, Remy thinks this might be fun after all…"

He waved at the officers, where he received a cold, and empty stare. While everyone fussed about their new environment, Rogue changed into the uniform and boots. She looked down at herself for a while to see if the clothes needed adjustments. She found some places on her clothes that facilitated any other attachments and equipments. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed.

' Damn it! Why'd Ah shave mah head…'

She changed back, and got on to the bunk. She began wondering about the day. She couldn't figure out what sort of man this Captain Bradford was. On one hand, he came out as arrogant, but somehow she felt something else from him. Something from him hinted her that this Captain was more that what he was showing them. Although she kept thinking about as to why she received such feelings, Rogue was unable to find any definite answer.

' Damn it! He sure knows how to push mah buttons…'

Meanwhile, Alex was writing reports and reading files about his men. He scoffed as he thought of the word 'men.' He didn't know whether the word fit the mutants under his command. There were five women and most of them were not even out of the high-school yet. He was fairly impressed by Logan's record. He nodded to himself and placed it in a folder.

' Looks like a good candidate for Sergeant Morris' back up…'

He put away the papers and got up. He thought about checking on what the others were doing, but cast the thought away. He looked at his watch, then wore the shirt. He got his beret and got out.

" Chow time! If you maggots want to eat, follow me!"

Rogue looked at Alex, and got down. Everyone, in fact, followed the officer to the mess hall. They entered the massive building, and saw the others eating already. One by one, they grabbed at tray and lined up. Alex received all the food on the menu and walked off. Logan was next, and handed the tray to the cook, but he handed the tray right back.

" Cook your own food, mutie!"

Captain Bradford turned around, and looked at the cook.

" Corporal! If you don't hand them food, then I'll see to it that you will be sent back to front line alone, without any equipment!"

The corporal hesitated for a moment, then Alex put down his tray on the table near by.

" Do you not hear me, corporal?!"

The corporal finally scooped the food and filled the trays. The mutants soon gathered at the table where Alex sat. Alex gazed at them rather pleasantly. He waited for everyone to sit, then began his chow. Everyone ate the meal without any words. Captain Bradford finished his meal and waited for his men. He looked at each one of them to take note of their habits, but his eyes stopped as he saw Rogue. He saw her eyes staring right back at him, which caused him to be somewhat uncomfortable. Rogue raised her eyebrow, asking Alex why he was looking at her. Alex quickly diverted his view away from Rogue, and moved on. However, Rogue had already figured out that something was going on. She picked up the tray and returned it to the collecting area. She looked back at her friends, then walked out of the mess hall. While she was walking back, she heard someone running from behind. She turned around and saw Captain Bradford.

" What are yah doin'? Followin' meh?"

Alex cleared his throat.

" Well, if you want me to answer your question, you should say sir at the end of each sentence."

Rogue rolled her eyes, and sighed.

" Are yah followin' meh, sir? There, that good enough for yah?"

Alex looked at Rogue with a slight frown. Rogue then growled quietly.

" Are yah followin' meh, sir?"

Alex smiled, and sighed.

" Yeah… I was following you private…"

Rogue looked down at the ground, then looked up again.

" Why? I mean… Why, sir?"

Alex hesitated for a while, leaving Rogue to ponder at the truth. She was about to give up and walk away, but Alex stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.

" It's just that… It's just that you're the most impulsive soldier I've ever seen. Just what the heck were you thinking when you shaved your head?"

Rogue chuckled.

" Ah don't really know mahself…sir."

Alex smirked.

" Heh. Just as I figured…"

Alex took out the futuristic cigar and placed it between his lips. Rogue expected him to take out a lighter when he took it out of his mouth.

" No need to worry about smoke. It delivers all that I need directly. No need to worry about indirect smoking or anything. You want one?"

Rogue waved her hand.

" No, thanks, sir."

Alex smiled.

" So, I finally get you to speak like a soldier. That's improvement."

Rogue scoffed.

" Alright… Ah'll beh going, sir."

Alex nodded, but eyed Rogue.

" What now?"

" You forgot to salute."

Rogue thought about it, then remembered from some movie. She gathered her heels together, and rested her flat right hand in front of her right eyebrow. Alex smiled, and returned the salute.

" Dismissed."

Rogue walked back to the barracks, and sat on her bunk bed. She began to worry about what would happen tomorrow. She was sure that there would be a grueling training tomorrow that will leave her very fatigued. She sat around for a while, and grumbled about not finding any books to read or other things to do.

' Damn it! Ah haven't even finished dat book yet!'

Rogue then heard the noise of the others returning to the barracks. They got on to the bunks and sighed. Everyone had the same complaint, but no one dared to speak it. Rogue thought about voicing the concern for a while, then finally decided to go for it.

" Ah'm sure Ah speak for everyone… Do yah have somethin' for us to do?"

Captain Bradford looked at Sergeant Morris with smirk.

" You want to get your training, starting now?"

Rogue looked at the others, who showed reluctance.

" Well, Ah'm ready at least."

Just then, Logan came out as well.

" I'm gonna have to get back in shape if I want to survive this thing."

Sergeant Morris nodded with approval. Rogue then asked a question.

" So what do dese aliens look like anyways?"

Captain Bradford eyed Sergeant Morris to answer the question. Captain Bradford himself wasn't in the mood to do so. Whenever he thought about the enemy, he thought about his men who were lost during the battle one month ago. However, what tormented his heart was the loss of his fiancé. While Captain Bradford went into his office, Sergeant Morris began his description.

" We don't know much about them really… From what we can gather, their weapons are like lightning bolts. It just fries everything it touches. We can ascertain that they wear a some sort of armor made of biological material."

Logan looked at his arms and sighed.

" Damn it! I'll be a fucking lightning rod with adamantium inside me!"

Sergeant Morris smirked.

" Don't worry, mutie. You no longer have adamantium inside you."

Logan cocked his head.

" What do you mean?"

" I mean that the Alliance has provided you with the new synthetic material that's just as strong as adamantium, but lighter. Plus, you won't trigger the metal detectors anymore…"

Captain Bradford came back out of his office, and sighed.

" Alright, lights out! Go to sleep! Your hell hasn't begun yet."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	3. Chapter 3

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day began with the trumpet blaring through the barracks. Rogue woke up, startled at the noise. She rolled down the bunk, still thinking that it was her own bed back in the institute. She felt herself falling, and crashed to the floor with a thud.

" Aw!"

Kurt helped Rogue up, and smiled.

" Good morning, Rogue…"

Rogue began getting dressed. She had just put her pants on, and boots when Captain Bradford barged in.

" Good morning."

Everyone stood in attention, and yelled in unison.

" Good morning, sir!"

Capt. Bradford was about to step out to start the day when he noticed Rogue. He hesitated for a moment, then stepped out of the barracks.

" Sergeant Morris. Let's start the day…"

The man in mid forties with graying hair saluted, and turned to the others.

" Move out!"

One by one, the mutants followed the two humans out of the barracks, and ran at almost full speed. By the time they arrived at the training grounds, most of them were already fatigued, which went unnoticed, and most likely, uncared by the two men leading them. Capt. Bradford spoke with a person, then nodded. The stranger saluted first, and received the salute from Capt. Bradford. As soon as he lowered his hand, the stranger ran towards the building not far away. Sgt. Morris spoke quietly with Capt. Bradford then turned to the mutants.

" Okay. We're going to go into that building and grab your gear. Your training will be with those gears on. Sergeant Morris will lead you to the quartermaster's barracks over there."

The mutants followed the older man to the building. There were a lot of items laid on the tables. The old man, who appeared to be more older than Sgt. Morris, stepped up. There was definitely a disapproving tone in his voice as he gave instruction.

" First, you'll grab the body armor and helmet, then the web-gear, then the knife, and grenades and magazines. Finally, you'll grab your rifle handed out by Corporal Walker there…"

Sgt. Morris tapped Logan's shoulder.

" Let's go."

Logan followed the instructions, and picked up each of the items. One by one, the others followed. And by the time Rogue began picked up the rifle, she saw Sgt. Morris standing outside, with his gear. Everyone lined up, and looked at each other. Some of them smirked, commenting on whether someone looked goofy with their gears or not. Logan had already pocketed every item into the web-gear, and wore them like Sgt. Morris. He also slung his rifle over his shoulder. The others followed his example, and began placing the items into the pockets. Rogue finished, and put on the helmet. She found the cumbersome looking helmet rather versatile. It was light, and fit perfectly onto her shaved head. Rather than slinging the rifle over her shoulder, she placed the strap on her left shoulder while holding the weapon with her right hand. She then swung the weapon towards the rear. It made the weapon point diagonally, with the barrel pointing towards the ground on the right. Capt. Bradford came out of the building last, with his weapon slung over in the exactly the same manner that Rogue had. The captain stood next to Sgt. Morris, and exchanged some remark.

" Well, I see one of them has the independence…"

Sgt. Morris smiled.

" Well, she seemed to be just like you, sir…"

Alex smiled as well.

" Actually, that configuration makes sense…"

Sgt. Morris nodded.

" Yes, sir. It does, sir. I guess it's my habit from the regular unit, sir."

Alex then turned his attention to everyone.

" Okay! Everyone make sure that your weapon is slung over like me! The form that you're in makes the weapon inaccessible in time of sudden combat."

Sgt. Morris added.

" The strap should touch the shoulder opposite of your trigger hand."

Rogue felt around the web-gear, and began memorizing the item. She knew that her friends were doing the same. Logan, however, seemed to know the placement easily. She then remembered that he had fought in WWII. Captain Bradford once again spoke.

" Move out!"

Everyone walked back to the obstacle course. Some of the Brotherhood members snickered as they saw Fred Dukes in what seemed to be XXL size uniform. Capt. Bradford also looked back, and noted his size once more. He had the privilege of reading all the classified files that were kept about the other mutants who were not considered for the deal. He was sad to see that a boy named Bobby Drakes was not in the list. He was sure that the one called 'Iceman' would have made better soldier than the block of mass in his command. He had planned an intensive training to get Fred Dukes in shape for combat. He signaled Sgt Morris, and he called out Fred.

" Fred Dukes! Follow me."

The gigantic mass followed Sgt. Morris to a different section of the training ground while Capt. Bradford took charge of the rest.

" Okay… You see these obstacle course marked by the path of markers? I want you to run through them with your gears on. And I expect you to finish the half a kilometer course in five minutes. Go!"

The other mutants rushed out. Capt. Bradford got his rifle out, and detached the small scope attached to the top of the carrying handle. He looked through it, and observed the mutants run the course for the first time.

' Not bad…'

The first obstacle was the ropes attached to a ten feet wall. Logan reached the ropes first. He grabbed the rope and pulled himself up the wall. Just as he climbed midway, Remy got to it next. He grabbed the rope and started to climb up himself. One by one, they climbed up the wall. Rogue had just gotten to the top when she saw Kitty struggling to pull her own weight plus the equipment. Before she could help, Piotr went back, and gave Kitty a boost, and helped her get over the wall. He then climbed up and over himself for the third time. Alexander Bradford smiled as he saw the teamwork forming within the unit. He checked his watch, and saw about thirty seconds have passed. He looked back at the corner where Sgt. Morris was giving Fred Dukes a tough physical training.

" You want to give up, maggot? Is that all you got?"

Fred tried to push his large mass up, but failed to do so. Sgt. Morris placed his foot upon the struggling mutant's back, and pushed him down.

" Come on! Is that all you got? You're pathetic!"

Fred's temper began to boil. He was being humiliated in front of everyone, and he just couldn't stand it. Nevertheless, Sgt. Morris' criticism continued.

" You are by far the most pathetic recruit I've ever seen! I'll let you know, you will not sleep or eat until you give me fifty pushups!"

Fred collapsed to the ground, and breathed hard. The dirt entered his mouth every time he breathed, but he didn't have any strength to move his face to avoid it. Sgt. Morris got his foot off, and sighed.

" Listen, Fred… You have to try twice as hard… If you are not physically able to do your duty, then there's no choice but to have you out of the deal. You'll probably be frozen again and at worse, you might be just killed to save resources. You have to get yourself physically fit to save your own life. Your chances will improve as your body become fit."

Fred's eyes glistened with tears. All the insults that the sergeant threw at him didn't motivate him, but the kind words now struck upon his consciousness. He clinched his teeth, and grunted. He finally pushed himself up. He sighed, and then brought his body down. One by one, he began filling up the fifty push-up requirement set upon him. Sgt. Morris saw this and began encouraging him.

" Alright. That's it! Keep going!"

He finally finished his fifty push ups and followed Sgt. Morris to where the others were waiting. He sat down amongst the group and continued to huff, and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. He then heard the shout from the Capt. Bradford.

" Alright! It's time for weapons drill."

He grabbed the rifle that he had. He displayed it to everyone.

" What you see is an M-3A1 Advanced Combat Assault Rifle. As you can see, it has two barrels of both 5 and 20 millimeter in diameter. In any engagement, you will be issued ten-50 round magazines for the 5mm rifle and ten-10 round magazines for the 20mm Multi-Purpose Projectile Launcher, which may consist of either shotgun shells or High Explosive rounds. It has selector switch on both sides that can slide to semi-automatic, full-automatic, safety, and MPPL. To use the MPPL, you must pump the action to feed each round. Most of you will be equipped with this rifle."

He slung the rifle back on his shoulder and pointed towards Logan.

" Hand me your weapon."

Logan handed his weapon to Alex, and sat back down. Alex now held up the weapon that Logan had.

" This is M-33M1 General Purpose Machine gun. As you can see, the barrel is longer, and partially exposed to the air whereas M-3A1's barrels were encased in the case. It holds a 200 round box magazine, and is equipped with bipod. Of all of you, Piotr and Logan here will be equipped with this weapon. The others will have to provide cover for them since their mobility is hindered with this weapon.

Alex handed back the weapon, and walked to the firing range. He instructed Sgt. Morris on what he should do, and stepped back. The mutants lined up shoulder to shoulder, and spread out from there. There was a target about two hundred meters away.

" You have one magazine for your exercise today. Now, I believe you know what to do."

Everyone pointed the rifle towards their targets. They squeezed off shot after shot in semi-automatic mode. Rogue was having some trouble shooting. She didn't know much about aligning the iron sights together. Alex saw her missing rather badly and walked up. He took off the small scope from his own rifle and handed it to Rogue.

" Try this…"

Rogue just stared at the scope when Alex took Rogue's rifle and mounted the scope on top of the carrying handle.

" Look through the scope, and don't worry about the front and back sight."

Rogue looked at it, and saw a small red dot in the center. She found it easier to shoot now. Her shots now struck where she pointed the red dot on. Alex nodded with a smile, and continued down the range to inspect everyone. He was impressed at Logan's skills. He managed to shoot far better than anyone's expectations. Alex kneeled next to Logan and whistled.

" Nice shot…"

Logan looked up, and sighed.

" If you don't mind my asking… I saw every advancement you've made through the hundred years that we've been asleep. But what's with this weapon? It's just a minor advancement to the ones we had a century ago…"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah… Would you believe that we didn't have military for nearly fifty years? Yeah, you heard me… After the Earth became unified, we disbanded the military. We didn't have any threat anymore so the politicians decided that we didn't need it anymore. Of course, we didn't know we'd end up in this mess…"

Logan nodded as if he understood. He then continued to fire. While they practiced with their rifle, Alex saw Kitty having trouble with the weapon. She cowered back in fear every time the bullet left the barrel. Alex himself couldn't help her in anyway. She had to get used to it herself. She then called upon Sgt. Morris, and instructed him to give Kitty additional weapons training.

" Yes, sir."

------

Alex looked at his watch. It was about time for their first field ration. He blew the whistle and hollered.

" Cease fire! Cease fire!"

The gunshots stopped. Alex looked at each of them to make sure, then gave another order.

" Safety your weapons, and eject the magazine! I want no round in the weapon!"

Everyone took out the magazine and pulled the cocking lever to eject the round in the chamber. They placed the selector to safety and gathered in front of Capt. Bradford.

" Okay…"

He pulled out a box, and ripped it open. He handed the packages to each of his men. He then grabbed one for himself.

" It's your first field ration. Read the instruction on the cover and enjoy…"

Rogue looked at the cover. She ripped the packaging and saw a large pack and some other items. She opened the large pack and smelled a pleasant aroma of freshly cooked tri-tips. She grabbed the fork and ate one to see if it was indeed as pleasant as its scent suggested.

" It's good!"

Everyone else also commented on how good the meal was. They finished their meal and sat down to take a breather when Alex sat next to Logan.

" So, what did you expect?"

" Huh?"

" What kind of weapon did you expect?"

Logan sighed.

" I don't know… A rail gun?"

They both chuckled. Alex took out his cylinder and handed one to Logan.

" It's like a cigar, just that it doesn't let out smoke."

Logan scoffed.

" Then how can it be smoking?"

Alex nodded with a smile.

" You got me there."

Just then, Sgt. Morris joined in.

" They're making a great progress, sir. I imagine that they'll be ready for combat in a week or two…"

Logan smirked.

" I think you're giving these kids too much credit…"

Sgt. Morris shook his head.

" Hey, they're adjusting better than normal recruits. If they keep this pace, they'll be ready."

They left the discussion at that. Alex got up and walked to Remy. He kneeled in front of him with a thin, pleasant smile.

" Remy, is it?"

Remy smirked, and let out a playful salute.

" Yes, mon Capitan."

Alex smirked as well, and left for the others. One by one, he spoke with the mutants. He wanted to get to know them, and hopefully earn their trust. His next stop was Piotr. He sat down, and smiled.

" Well, Piotr…"

Piotr's eyes rested upon Alex.

" I have a question for you, captain…"

" What is it?"

Piotr thought for a while, then spoke once more rather shyly.

" I had a sister… I just want to know what happened to her…"

Alex then remembered the added sheets on Piotr's files. His sister, Ilyana was killed in the initial attack that swept throughout the earth. He also remembered that she was found with a mutation later than usual, and found herself cured.

" Piotr… I'm sorry to tell you this…"

Piotr's eyes glistened with tears. He knew what was about to be said.

" …Your sister Ilyana was killed in the initial bombardment of the planet about two years ago… I've read the report that she was one of the first to receive the cure, and apparently had a happy family…"

Piotr held back his tears that formed up, but the sadness was too great for his efforts. The tears streamed down his face, and he soon buried his face into his arms.

" My god… Ilyana…"

Kitty saw what was happening, and wrapped her arms around Piotr.

" You okay?"

Alex then regretted saying what he said. It seemed as though he was the bearer of the sad news for everyone. While at it, he talked with Kitty.

" How are you feeling, Kitty?"

Kitty sighed, and shrugged at the same time.

" As well as it can be, I guess…"

Alex tried to smile, but failed. He got up, and moved on. He finally sat in front of Rogue, whose hairs began growing in short stubbles. Alex smiled and offered his share of the water.

" No, thanks… Ah'm not thirsty…"

Alex nodded.

" Fair enough… So, do you miss anything?"

Rogue cocked her head.

" Miss what? Ah don't miss anythin' in particular. Though Ah do miss some of mah friends…"

Alex nodded.

" I miss my friends as well…"

Rogue leaned closer.

" So what happened anyways? De oders in da mess hall seemed to beh afraid of yah…"

Alex smirked, and kept his lips sealed.

" Come'on. Tell meh. Ah told yah story about meh, didn't Ah?"

Alex nodded.

" Okay… I guess I'll tell you…"

At that moment the others rushed into hear what their captain was about to say. Even Sgt. Morris came.

" Uh… On second thought, I better not…"

Rogue shook her head.

" Nah, tell us."

Alex sighed, and began.

" I was a 1st lieutenant in the Civil Security force, which turned into a military unit when the war broke out. I had a team under my command, and I was under a Captain by the name of John Rockwell. We were the best unit in the whole division… Hell, we were the best out of everyone. Anyways, we were sent into help secure a city as an advanced recon unit for the main force. For about two days, it went as planned, but when the main force secured the city, the whole hell broke loose. The bastards lured a trap. As soon as majority of the forces went inside the city, they bombarded it to dust from space. The others were there as well. I was the only one alive from the whole unit. The division HQ wanted me in to get me another assignment. I heard the news just as I entered the building of course. I ran up to the General in charge and punched him across the face. I should have died with my men. I should have died that day with Jenny…"

The name Jenny caught everyone off guard.

" Jenny? Who's Jenny?"

Alex's eyes were glistening with tears. He took out a photo from the inside of his shirt pocket and held it up. It had him and a woman about the age of the girls in the unit in happy moment.

" Jenny was my fiancé. She was in the unit with me…"

Rogue looked at the picture. This Jenny looked quite similar to herself. She had a short, flat, broom like hair. Rogue then inquired further.

" If yah punched da general, why are yah here? Shouldn't yah beh in some jail?"

Sgt. Morris answered the reason.

" Well, they couldn't. What you don't know is that Captain Alexander Bradford here is the son of the current president, Michael Bradford. The brass just let captain alone, and he almost became an alcoholic. He continued to be involved with some units, and the last one was annihilated about a month ago. Once again, Captain Bradford was the only survivor."

Everyone's stomach churned. Especially the members of the Brotherhood.

" You mean to say we got team killer as our leader? Oh, just great! We're gonna die! All of us!"

Captain Bradford sighed, and pocketed the picture. He was about to say something when Rogue came to his defense.

" Listen! It doesn't matter! What's in da past is in da past! And we're not regular soldiers he served with! Since we have other special abilities, we might be able to survive, and may be help dis guy to change his luck!"

Alex stared at the ground dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say, nor what to think at the words. He stood up, and sighed.

" That's it for today. Everyone return to the barracks."

Sgt. Morris rounded everyone up.

" Move out!"

Rogue was inclined to stay behind, as well as other female mutants. When they didn't move, the other mutants sighed.

' Chicks…'

" Hey, Jean!"

In the end, Rogue stayed behind. She walked back to the barracks with Alex.

" Yah know, Ah think Ah understand why yah've been lookin' at meh in da mess hall now…"

Alex sighed.

" Well, don't think that it'll make me go easier on you…"

Rogue smirked, and saluted.

" Sir!"

Alex smiled, then became stoic. He stopped, and placed his hand upon Rogue's shoulder.

" Listen, uh…"

Rogue cocked her head.

" What, sir?"

" Uh… Never mind."

Alex continued his way to the barracks. He saw everyone getting ready for their turn at the showers. He felt the others' eyes fixed upon him. It wasn't much of difference from what he's been through though. The other humans had the same gaze. The look that wanted him gone, and possibly in a permanent way. He went into his room, and placed the rifle against the wall. He then took out his pistol, and laid it on his table. He took off his shirt, and looked at the mirror. He smirked as he saw the scar on his left shoulder.

' Hah… Jenny…'

He received the scar in a fight with her. It was a practice of course, though the knife was real. He then remembered that it was that same day that he proposed to Jenny who felt obligated to stitch up the wound herself. By the time he finished his thoughts, he had covered himself with the towel, and walked out of the room. He entered the showers, and found Rogue showering. He stopped right then, and stepped out of the shower room. It made the others laugh at him. Because of the sound, Rogue looked back, and saw Capt. Bradford outside. She almost shrieked, but then finished her shower quickly. She got out of the showers, and walked to her bunk. Alex stared at Rogue for a while, then went into take a shower of his own.

------

About a week had passed in their training. By now, everyone got used to the routine. They would wake up early in the morning, and to physical training, then eat lunch, then go out to do weapons training. When the evening came they mostly went to bed. But starting this day, the things changed. After lunch, they were ordered to form up, and begin practicing land navigation. Sgt. Morris handed out a map to everyone. They were also given a GPS receiver along with the map. The map was marked with four checkpoints, which had to be crossed to be successful. Both Capt. Bradford and Sgt. Morris claimed that there would be some surprises during the navigation, that they may have to run for their lives. When the mutants inquired as to what the surprise was, they declined to elaborate.

" You have ten hours. Move out!"

Alex then read the updated files on everyone. They had improved tremendously. Within a week, these mutants absorbed, and perfected the training that the normal recruit would take three weeks on. With some adjustments such as issuing dot-sight scope to those who had trouble with the iron sight, and few other minor adjustments, these mutants in Alex' eyes were ready to take on anyone. He waited for a while before he called up a person over the phone.

" They just left. Have fun, lieutenant…"

The officer over the phone answered enthusiastically.

" Yes, sir!"

Alex hung up, and continued to read over the file. Fred Dukes was the one that made the greatest change that Alex had ever seen. Within weeks, he had lost close to hundred pounds, which made the medical staffs worry about his health. Sgt. Morris, on the other hand, didn't worry a bit.

" Sir, isn't it a bit harsh to have them ambushed in their first land navigation exercise?"

Alex sighed.

" I guess so, but it's the only way to see if they had absorbed their training."

" You think they'll do something rash, sir?"

Alex sighed once more.

" Well, the other troops do hate us, sergeant… Let's just hope they don't use live rounds…"

Sgt. Morris nodded.

" Yes, sir…"

As the sun began to disappear behind the horizon, about eight men stopped in the middle of the woods. One of them waved his hand, which gave rise to the other eight men group to move up. A dark skinned woman came from the second group, and met up with a hairy man from the first.

" It looks quiet, but I think we're being watched…"

Rogue joined in on the conversation.

" Ah think we're settin' ourselves for an ambush…"

Kitty became concerned.

" But why? Why would Alex harm us now after he, like, supervised the training?"

Piotr shook his head in disagreement.

" I think he's trying to test us. He wants to see how much we've learned."

Logan nodded.

" Tin can's right. Judging from the topography on the map, they will be waiting for us here, and here. So we should come from here, and here to flank them. Remember, we have to surprise them so who's gonna go as a bait?"

Everyone didn't speak. Rogue looked around, and volunteered.

" Ah will."

Logan nodded, and looked around. Finally, Remy also volunteered. Logan sighed at the thought that only two volunteered, and stared at Piotr.

" You go with them. It'll look more convincing if a machine gunner went with them."

The three looked at the map, and followed the path surrounded by hills on both sides. Logan and the others split up to two groups, and took a route for each hill. He entrusted Scott to lead the second group that would take the left hill, while he led the first group into the right hill. He got into position, and looked towards the left hill. He saw Scott signaling him that he was ready also.

' Okay, bub… Let's see how smart you are…"

He howled like a wolf into the night sky. Rogue heard the signal that the others were ready, and looked at Remy.

" Let's go. Ah'll take point."

Rogue selected her weapon to semi-auto, and waved at the two. Remy saw Rogue walking in front of him, and sighed.

" Remy thinks it's going to be fun…"

Piotr tapped Remy's shoulder.

" We better move, comrade…"

Remy nodded, and followed the two into the crevice between the hills. Rogue walked slowly, trying really hard not to make any noise. Her rifle was up, and ready to fire at anything. She knew that herself and the two guys with her will draw off fire from the guys supposedly on the hills. Her green eyes scanned through the peaks carefully.

On the hills on top, the members of the 2nd Platoon watched Rogue and two others through their night vision goggles. Lieutenant Emerson smirked, and raised his hand to signal the other side to attack.

" We're gonna waste these muties, aren't we sir?"

" That's the idea…"

Lieutenant Emerson dropped his hand, and both sides of the hill poured down their ammunition to the three underneath.

Rogue saw the muzzle flash upon both sides of the hills, and quickly ran for cover. Piotr had leaned against right hill, and began firing towards the left hill. Rogue then leaned against the left hill and fired to the right hill. Remy kneeled next to Rogue, and began firing his own weapon also.

" Loadin'!"

Rogue ejected her first magazine of paint rounds, and fed a second one. She had just finished cocking the weapon when she saw Remy fall to the ground. She touched upon his chest to see if it was bleeding. Just then several more rounds impacted upon his body once more, and this time, Rogue felt her arm being punctured by something. She screamed in pain, and Remy quickly dragged her to a cover.

The sound of gunfire prompted the two teams that were waiting to ambush the potential threat. They flanked the men who were firing blow, and catching them completely by surprise. Soon, the ones who were on the top of the hill were all considered 'dead' and they came down the hill to check up on the three members. Logan saw Rogue being treated by Remy.

" What happened?"

Kurt quickly rushed to see what happened. He saw Rogue bleeding from her left forearm, and touched Remy's vest. He extracted four bullets, and turned around.

" You sons of bitches!"

Kurt rushed to one of the 2nd Platoon member and punched him across the face. Immediately, the rest of the 2nd Platoon went to defend its own member. This escalated into a total fight between the 2nd Platoon and the mutants. Logan tried to stop them along with Ororo but found themselves unable to get any attention. He then let loose a couple of rounds into the air, and interrupted them.

" Hey! We just want to know who was equipped with live ammo."

Rogue got up with the help of Piotr, and walked towards her friends.

" It's okay. It's not like Ah'm dead or anythin'…"

Pietro interrupted.

" Hey, it's the principle of the matter. They used real bullets against us!"

Lieutenant Emerson came out of his men and then looked around.

" Eject your magazines! I want to know who the hell brought live ammo here!"

He inspected each magazines held up by his men. He found a man who had a magazine half-full of live ammo. He knocked the soldier to the ground, and took his weapon away.

" What the hell are you doing with live ammo, private!?"

Lt. Emerson turned around, and faced Logan.

" I'm sorry, private. There will be an investigation. Please relay my apologies to Captain Bradford. The land-nav is over."

Logan saluted, and led the fellow mutants back to the barracks. Captain Bradford became surprised as his men came back only three hours after the beginning of the exercise.

" What happened?"

Logan explained the situation, and added that Lt. Emerson was sorry that things had transpired. Alex slammed his fist against the table and grunted in frustration.

" Bastards! I'm gonna have his head!"

Alex then called Sgt. Morris, and ordered him to fetch Lt. Emerson and the private in question. After Sgt. Morris left, Alex calmly asked Logan.

" So, what kind of tactic did you use? I mean, you've already had some training…"

Logan smirked, and looked at the chair in front of Alex's desk.

" May I, sir?"

Alex nodded.

" Go ahead."

" Well, I knew there would be a parallel ambush from the topography on the map, and I separated the unit into three elements. One being the bait, and the others took the hills. Although things went quite fine, but I regret that we didn't take the hills faster."

Alex laughed.

" No. It was perfect. It's what I would have done. That reminds me… I'm going to recommend you to a possible replacement for Sgt. Morris. I'm saying that because Sgt. Morris would likely receive a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant."

Logan nodded, and got up.

" Thank you, sir!"

Logan left, and joined the others to look at Rogue and Remy. Soon, Lt. Emerson and the private came, along with Sgt. Morris. They entered Capt. Bradford's room, and closed the door. Soon, a voice roared through the door, and then after about thirty minutes of continuous shout, the two members of the 2nd Platoon came out, and headed to their barracks. Sgt. Morris then took out a letter from his pocket.

" Sir, this was handed to me on my way to the 2nd Platoon. The President and the Defense Minister wishes to inspect this unit, sir."

Alex read the letter, and threw it on his desk.

" What a way to start a war…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mutants are getting better as soldiers, and their battle with the fate is about to begin. But will the inspection by the President and Defense Minister prevent such encounter? How will Alex react to his father's visit?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	4. Chapter 4

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Alex woke up from his sleep in the middle of the night. He looked at his watch and found out that he's been asleep for merely two hours. He began thinking about his father's visit. He was sure that there would be some hell raising from him. No doubt his father had received reports that he has frequented local bars of his duty station, and that he had assaulted some soldiers along the way. He stared at the ceiling with his eyes wide open. After his little 'incident' involving the death of his teammates and the general in charge, Alex had always blamed his father. He often thought that if he wasn't the son of the president and just a normal citizen, he would be dead along with his teammates. He preferred that over his current life that was tangled between the webs of being the 'first kid' and being an officer of the Earth Alliance Army.

' Damn it, I have to sleep…'

Alex twisted to stare at the wall, and closed his eyes. He then found himself still unable to sleep. He got out of the bed, and grabbed another of the 'cigar.' He let the chemical interact with his body, and sighed. He pulled out the metal cylinder and sighed.

" Damn it. I really need a real cigar…"

Alex placed the cylinder back in his mouth and sighed. He got up, and turned the light on. The bright light momentarily blinded him, but his eyes soon got used to it. He opened the files once more, and read them one by one. He then looked at the picture of Jenny in the frame. He looked down at the file and saw Rogue's picture. He took it off of the metal clip, and placed it between his eyes and the frame. He then sighed, and placed the photo back in amongst the file, and then closed them all together. He was sure that he wasn't going to get any sleep this night. He turned the monitor of his computer on, and began searching through the military database. He wanted to know more of the time where his men lived before they were frozen. He placed the headphone on his ears and touched on the icon. A little documentary played, showing a gigantic robot fighting mutants in the streets. He then saw some of his men in some type of uniform fighting the robot.

' What the?'

He listened in on the narration, how the passage of the Anti-Mutant Legislation had in single stroke branded the mutants as non-human. He knew that the legislation was part of the constitution of the Earth Alliance, but he never comprehended the origin. It was just too distant for him. He also saw the demonstration of the mutants' parents, urging the Supreme Court to deem the AML unconstitutional. For the next three hours, Alex filled himself in on the history of the year 2003, and on. He sighed in self-pity. He really didn't know his men up until now. They were already battle-hardened. He then read up on the biography of one called Charles Xavier.

' Hm… I agree with him… Why does it matter? Why should it matter?'

Alex sighed, and looked at his watch. It was about fifteen minutes before the day began. He closed the files, and turned off the monitor. He then began to change into his uniform. He dressed himself in dress uniform, and looked at himself in the mirror. He corrected his tie, and combed through his short hair once with his fingers. He wore the hat, and looked back. It was time.

The horn blared within the barrack once again. The mutants got up, and began changing. However, Capt. Bradford came out of his office in a fancy uniform.

" Stop! You will wear the dress uniform. It's in the locked section of your closet. You will scan your bracelet on the scanner to open it."

Most of the mutants were still in their underwear, and felt a slight chill. Kitty shivered lightly.

" Well, what are you waiting for? You don't need my permission to dress…"

Everyone scanned their bracelet on the scanner. It popped open and revealed a dark green trousers and jackets. The female mutants also found the trousers and jackets. Kitty commented in curiosity.

" Um, where's women's uniform?"

Sgt. Morris came out with his own dress uniform.

" Well, we integrated the uniform about ten years ago. Men and women both wear the trouser and jacket now."

Everyone got into the uniform, and tied the tie around their necks. The girls had trouble tying the tie in correct form, but finally managed to tie them by looking at the guys. Rogue looked at herself in the mirror then got the hat out. She placed them on top of her head and smirked. She then heard the voice beside her.

" Not bad… You look like a decent soldier…"

Rogue scoffed, then her scoff turned into a smirk.

" Thank you, sir."

Logan walked up with the hat between his left arm and his body.

" If I may ask, why are we dressing up, sir?"

Alex lightly tapped his forehead as if he realized something and smiled.

" We're being inspected by the president himself and the Defense Minister, along with general in charge of the 7th Corp. I think you might know the general, Private Logan…"

Logan became curious.

" What do you mean, sir?"

" I meant General Steve Rogers, formerly known during your time as Captain America… Fortunately we found the cure for him while you were frozen. He was the first to receive the cure, and became the General in charge of the 7th Corp."

Logan's eyes widened with surprise. Alex saw this and smiled.

" He was the one who suggested the use of mutants in this war. In a way, you owe your life to him…"

Logan couldn't believe what he had heard. He shook his head, and looked at Capt. Bradford once more.

" You wouldn't lie to me, won't you captain?"

Alex nodded.

" It's the truth."

Alex then saw the clock on the wall.

" Let's get out. We'll be inspected at dawn."

Everyone formed up in front of the barracks. From distance, a military vehicle not unlike the Humvee approached. When it pulled over in front of them, Alex yelled out.

" Atten-hut!"

Everyone saluted, and the man in a dark blue suit saluted back while still sitting in the vehicle. When the other two got off, the man got out as well. The vehicle then moved away, and drove off to the other side of the base.

" Well, captain… I must say you've done a good job."

" Thank you, Defense Minister."

The man in the dark blue suit waved his hand.

" Well Harold, let's keep this as informal as it can be shall we? I've never been good with military structure…"

The defense minister nodded, the man in the dark blue suit came in front of Alex.

" Well Alex… You've certainly made personal improvements…"

" Sir!"

A man in combat uniform walked up towards Logan, and offered his hand.

" It's been a long time, Logan…"

Logan took his hand and shook it.

" It's been a long time, General…"

Their lips curled up little by little, then they burst into laughter. They hugged each other in joy. The other mutants wondered in curiosity. Obviously this general was someone Logan knew. However, they couldn't figure out whether he met him before or after he was frozen. Their celebration was cut short, and came back to business. Alex handed his files to General Rogers, who in turn handed them to the Defense Minister. He looked at them and handed the file over to the president.

" 3rd Platoon is ready for active duty, Mr. President."

The president nodded.

" Good. They can have 48 hour leave."

Everyone saluted to the president, and he saluted back. He was about to head back to the vehicle that had just pulled over when General Rogers intervened.

" Might I suggest, Mr. President… that the soldiers be allowed to access the network to fill in their 100 year gap in knowledge?"

The president nodded, and got into the vehicle.

" You do that, General."

With that, the Defense Minister and the President left.

------

General Rogers saw the president and the defense minister disappear from the sight, and turned around with a warm smile.

" Okay. You can take off your bracelets temporarily and access the database to fill in any curiosity you have."

Kurt teleported himself to the computer and took control of it. He began looking through the database in general to see what kinds of things had happened through out the 100 years that they've been frozen. Rogue walked into the barracks to find the computer over run by everyone else. Alex tapped her shoulder to get her attention. When she did so, he gestured her to follow.

" You can use mine…"

Rogue followed Alex to his room, and saw his room very neatly arranged. She saw another picture of Jenny in the frame on top of his desk. Rogue sat on the chair and began punching the keyboards. The first thing she typed was a name: Thompson, Thomas: Sergeant, USMC 2003. The database searched and found one item matching her search. She looked around to see if there was a mouse was. Alex smiled, and tapped the screen with the tip of his finger. Another window opened up and Rogue read the file through.

" Sergeant Thomas Thompson, born May 12th, 1963. Discharged in April 5th 2004. Protested for the repealing of the Anti-Mutant Legislation…"

Alex became curious.

" You know him?"

Rogue nodded.

" He was in charge of da men who caught meh… He was rather protective of meh in the holding cells… Ah don't know why though…"

Rogue read on but this time, silently.

' Died in July 7th 2005 due to heart attack…'

Alex cocked his head.

" What the? How could an ex-marine who was more fit than average population die of heart attack?"

Rogue typed another name of Senator Kelly. Just as she was about to hit enter, Alex commented.

" You mean President Kelly? He became the president in 2004. He signed on the 28th Amendment banning Mutants…"

Rogue scoffed.

" Would yah believe if Ah told yah he was da principal in mah high school?"

Alex nodded.

" Yes, I do…"

Rogue looked back, and saw Alex being serious.

" Oh… How did yah…"

" How did I know? I couldn't sleep during the night so I searched through the database. I must say I'm impressed by the 'pop culture' of the time…"

Rogue sighed.

" Well, Ah'm not da one yah should beh talkin' to if yah wanna know about da 'pop culture' of mah time… It's more of a department for Kitty…"

Alex nodded with a light chuckle.

" Well, I'm not very much into 'pop culture' anyways…"

Rogue closed the windows and turned the monitor off. She got up, and tried to walk out when Alex stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

" Wait…"

Rogue closed the door that she partially opened and turned around.

" What is it, sir?"

Alex gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

" Sit… I just want to talk…"

Rogue sat on the chair rather uneasily. Alex sat on the chair facing Rogue nervously also.

" So, what is it dat yah wanna talk about, captain?"

Alex sighed. He had thought of what he wanted to say, but when the moment came, he lost his words. He stared at Rogue's eyes until she grabbed her hat.

" If you'll excuse meh…"

Alex again gestured Rogue to sit down. Rogue placed her hat on Alex' desk, and looked at Alex. He finally began.

" Thanks for standing up for me Friday… I… I didn't know what to say at the time, but I feel that I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Alex then noticed Rogue still wearing the bracelet.

" Why are you wearing your bracelet…"

Alex remembered Rogue's mutation and stopped. Rogue, however, explained.

" It's temporary, but it allows meh to beh someone Ah always wanted to beh…"

Alex sighed, then apologized.

" Sorry…"

Alex then looked at his watch, and got up.

" Well, can I take you to lunch later?"

Rogue looked at her own watch and got up as well. She smiled politely as she could and spoke.

" Are yah askin' meh out on a date, sir? Ah… Ah don't know, sir… Ah… No. Sorry sir, but Ah can't accept yahr offer, sir…"

With that, Rogue got out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, Alex whistled as if a plane was going down.

' Shot down, Alex… Damn, she's turning out to be more and more like Jenny…'

Everyone headed out to the mess hall, where they ate less than usual amount of breakfast. Rogue barely at half of her usual amount, then returned the tray. She walked back to the barracks. She changed back to her combat uniform, and came back out. She walked towards the gym. She saw a lot of the other soldiers looking at her with curiosity, and outrage. She saw the punching bag and walked towards it. She wrapped her hands with bandages, and began punching them left and right in a slow, but steady pace. Her thoughts then stopped on the one called Carlos who she met during her brief stay in the holding cells, and her near miss rape situation. She began punching the bag more furiously, and finally she raised her feet and began kicking them while screaming. The bead of sweat began falling to the floor, and her back and chest area began drenched in sweat. When she finished, she heard a few whistles behind her.

" Damn! That mutie can kick!"

" Why don't you scream some more, honey?"  
Rogue looked back, and shot an angry glare at the five. The men, however, were not intimidated, and they approached Rogue.

" Hey. What's your name, sweetie?"

One of them picked up Rogue's shirt that was on the ground.

" It says here… Rogue… What the heck kind of name's Rogue?"

" I don't know, but it kinda fits her don't you think?"

The others nodded.

" Yeah… Going 'Rogue' on her friends and coming here all alone…"

Rogue took a deep breath, and sighed.

" If yah wanna use da bag, then go right ahead… Ah'm done here…"

One of the five guys looked down at Rogue's body, and sighed.

" Well, since there's five of us, we might need about two more bags if you know what I mean…"

The others chuckled. Rogue sighed in frustration, and murmured.

" Damn men with deir goddamn hormones…"

Just then everyone heard the shuffling of the cards. They all looked towards the entrance, and saw a man shuffling a deck of cards.

" Tsk, tsk, tsk… That's not very nice way to talk to a girl, non? You okay there, chere?"

Rogue walked up towards the one who had her shirt, and snatched it away. She then wore the shirt over her tank-top and walked to the front door. The five guys followed, only to be stopped by the card shuffling Cajun.

" Now the polite way, Remy thinks, is to let the lady go…"

The five looked at Remy and appeared as if they were about to strike down at him when they saw the captain in charge of the mutant platoon talking with Rogue at the door.

" I thought most people went to have fun during leave… What are you doing here, Rogue?"

Rogue was stunned to see Alex in front of her with civvies. She stammered and stopped buttoning up her shirts.

" What? This? I was going to go out of the base, and look around the bars. I thought I'd get in some bar brawl while at it… The usual for me…"

The five saw Alex and walked by him to outside. One of them turned around and winked at Rogue.

" Catch you later, sweetie."

Alex looked at them rather coldly without thinking. The five became rather demoralized and walked away. Remy came over, and smiled.

" Well, chere… Looks like el capitan here scared them away…"

Alex looked at Remy.

" Hey, you wanna join me for drinks?"

Remy thought about it, then nodded.

" Sure, Remy'll go."

Rogue finished buttoning up her shirt and shook her head.

" Ah'm not goin'."

Remy turned around.

" Aw, why not, chere?"

Rogue became a bit angry.

" 'cause Ah can't drink, dat's why!"

Rogue stormed off back to the barracks, and Alex sighed.

" Well, shall we?"  
Remy nodded.

" Lead the way, capitan…"

------

Remy hopped onto Alex' car and drove out of the base. On the way, Alex switched to auto-drive, and turned to Remy.

" So, Mr. LeBeau… How do you like the twenty-second century?"

Remy looked at Alex, and sighed.

" Well, sir…"

Alex interrupted him.

" When I'm out of uniform, you can call me Alex."

" Oui… Alex, Remy like it a lot, though Remy's seen not much of it…"

The vehicle stopped in front of a bar, and Alex noticed General Rogers' car also.

' Hm…'

The two got off, and walked into the bar. He saw Logan drinking some beer with the general and some of his men, including the minor ones, were here as well.

" Captain!"

Scott and Jean were playing billiards against Sgt. Morris and Fred Dukes. Alex sat in behind the bar and called bartender.

" I'll have martini. Shaken…"

That resulted a lot of suppressed laughter amongst his men. He turned around and cocked his head.

" What?"

Remy patted Alex' shoulder and explained.

" Well, monsieur Bradford thinks he's James Bond? Martini shaken, not stirred?"

Just then, the bartending robot handed a glass. Alex paid and took a sip. He then spoke with other members of his platoon. Meanwhile, Logan was talking with General Rogers further away.

" So, do I have to call you General America now?"

Steve Rogers shook his head.

" No… I'm done with the Captain America business… What the country need is you guys… I'm far too old for this thing…"

Logan chuckled.

" Well, we're not so young ourselves… We're all over hundred and fifteen years old now…"

Steve smirked.

" That's right… I forgot about that."

Logan then found a moment to ask his question.

" So, what's the enemy like? I mean, all I heard was that it's some kind of space alien."

Steve nodded.

" From what we can tell, their infantryman is armed with tentacles that shoots out 'bolts of lightning' as many soldiers say. Apparently when they get into hand to hand combat, they whip you with them, and you gotta say no body armor that we currently have can offer protection from the electricity."

Logan sighed.

" And since we're all 70 water with minerals, we're as good as any lightning rod…"

Steve nodded.

" Yeah… We've captured several of them, but most of them died within a week. We don't know how or why. It gets frustrating just thinking about it."

Steve poured down another gulp of his beer. He looked around and sighed.

" These days, I'm beginning to feel that I've just signed you guys the death warrant…"

Logan became curious.

" Why do you say that?"

" Because here's the reality of this war. All of our space force, and most of our air force have been annihilated… There's only about about 50 of navy and about 65 of army left the last time we checked. Most the air assets we have now belong to the navy or the army. When it comes time to push forward, I don't think we can manage to do that."

Logan sighed, and gulped down his beer.

" It's going to be a tough fight…"

Rogue found herself alone in her barracks. She got out of the shower, and changed into another pair of combat uniform. She began to look closer into her weapon. She looked at the MPPL magazine slot in front of the trigger guard, and the rifle magazine slot between hand grip and the bulge of the rifle butt. She placed the weapon back to its place, and sighed in frustration.

" Where da hell are de oders?"

Alex finished his first drink, and got up. He got out of the bar, and hopped onto his car. He somehow didn't feel like leaving Rogue in the base. He felt like he was leaving her behind in a sense. He showed his pass to the MP at the door and got out of his car. He walked to the barracks, and saw Rogue sleeping in her bunk. Alex glanced at his watch and sighed. He gently tapped Rogue on her shoulder.

" Rogue… Rogue…"

Rogue squirmed, and tossed around. She then opened her eyes to see Alex.

" What are yah doin' back here, sir? Shouldn't yah beh at dat party in da bar?"

Alex smiled, and leaned against the bunk opposite to Rogue's.

" Get dressed… I'll take you out for dinner. The mess hall's closed if you're thinking about eating there, by the way…"

Rogue got out, and rubbed her eyes.

" What do Ah get dressed into? Ah mean Ah don't have any civvies…"

Alex smiled.

" Wear the dress uniform… It's a rather formal place…"

Alex then disappeared into his room, and changed to his own dress uniform. He stepped out of the room, and looked towards Rogue.

" You ready?"

He saw Rogue ready to go. She saluted at his presence, which he answered in kind. Alex led Rogue to his car, and opened the door for her.

" Ladies first…"

Rogue smiled and got in, then watched as Alex got into the driver's seat. He started the car and headed to the front gate. After he got into the main road, he placed it in auto drive. He waited for a moment to see if there was any problem, then turned towards Rogue.

" So…"

Rogue answered back.

" So…"

They remained silent for a while until Rogue spoke.

" So where are we goin' anyways? And how formal is it for us to wear dress uniform?"

Alex smiled.

" It's a party hosted by the president in White House…"

Rogue appeared to have become pale at his explanation. She began stammering and babbling incoherently.

" Ah… Ah… Ah can't go dere! Ah don't belong dere! Ah… Aw, crap!"

Alex lightly laughed and tried to reassure Rogue.

" Don't worry… I'm allowed to bring a guest of my own…"

Rogue appeared to be really uncomfortable now.

" But Ah'm a mutant… Ah don't belong in dat party!"

Alex looked at Rogue rather slyly.

" Do I have to pull ranks? Besides, I don't care what they say. My platoon and I are a family. If I can't invite my family over then to hell with the whole party. We'll just go somewhere else…"

Rogue stopped and looked at Alex with some comfort.

" Yah've brought meh out here for a date right? Da whole dinner thin's just an excuse to bring meh out on a date?"

Alex raised his hands.

" Oops! You've caught me red handed…"

Rogue leaned back, and sighed.

" Listen, sir… I read da whole regulation thin' and Ah know Ah can't beh socializing' with commandin' officers like dis…"

" But that's within base. Right now, we're not. Private…"

Rogue explained further.

" Besides, Ah'm a mutant… And yah're da son of da president, and a normal human at dat… Ah can't beh a hindrance to yahr life…"

Rogue looked at Alex, who looked rather angry.

" Ah'm sorry… Ah said somethin' Ah shouldn't have, right?"

Alex shook his head.

" No… I just don't like being the 'first kid'… I think the whole reason that I am the surviving member of each team I've commanded is because I'm the first kid. I don't want to be, but I am… Sometimes I just want to be a normal person… HA! Listen to me babbling about my pathetic problem… I mean you've got much bigger problem than me."

Rogue reflected on his words. He was kind of like her. He was in a shell that he couldn't get out of. The shell offered protection like her mutation, but also at the same time it prevented him from living a normal life like her mutation. Increasingly she began to feel more compassion towards Capt. Bradford.

" Well… Ah am hungry, so… Okay… Ah'll just go along with yahr plan tonight, sir…"

Alex smiled, and seemed to have regained his cheery self.

" Thank you…"

------

Logan and Steve continued to exchange conversation over drinks. They've talked over the hundred years they've missed, and their conversation reached the politics.

" So, what's the president like, Steve?"

" One thing you have to understand, Logan… The presidency has mutated, for the lack of better word, into a monarchy. Since the formation of the Earth Alliance… We've tried to use the democratic system for us to use, but we still lingered on our 'nationalism' and things started to deteriorate. So the president Bradford, that's the current president's grand father by the way, took control of the nation with overwhelming support. As things became better, the people wanted to govern themselves again, but soon after this president took over, the aliens invaded. Therefore, there's been little thoughts dwelling on returning the authority to the people."

Logan dwelled on the thought and took another sip of beer.

" So when do you think the power will return to the citizens?"

" Some time after this war's over… Of course, it may not return at all, but I'm sure it will…"

" What makes you say that?"

Steve sighed.

" When this president dies, Captain Bradford will be the new president. However, Captain Bradford does not want any thing to do with being the president. He doesn't like it as far as I know. He'll probably let the people govern themselves and be more like the royalty of the Great Britain."

Logan smirked.

" Let's hope that will be the case…"

They sighed as they poured down another gulp of beer. What the future held for them had to wait. First, they had an annihilation to avoid.

" So what do we have that's advanced? All I saw was disappointment in terms of weapons. I thought we'd have laser guns or rail guns by now…"

Steve chuckled.

" Yeah… I guess you're right… We are, however, very advanced in medical science. Virtually all injuries and all diseases we've encountered so far can be treated…"

Logan sighed.

" So that means there are few who are dying from injury is that it?"

Steve nodded.

" Most death occur from the orbital bombardment. There isn't anything to recover when that happens, I'm afraid…"

Logan nodded.

" I'm sure there wouldn't be…"

While the two 'veterans' were talking with each other, the younger mutants continued to have a sort of min-tournament on billiard. They made two-men team and competed against each other. At the moment, Remy and Pyro were the winning team. They've beaten most of the challengers. Kitty the inquired.

" You know, you've been really quiet lately, John."

" Please, call me Pyro… And to answer your question… I simply didn't have any chance to talk, unlike now…"

Finally Pyro began his rampage of verbal insults. Kitty grabbed smacked her palm against her forehead and sighed.

" Why did I do that?"

Piotr tapped her shoulder.

" It's okay, Katusha…"

Kitty nodded, and went back to their game. They wanted to enjoy the next 48 hours as much as they can.

Rogue saw the car pulling over the familiar sight of the White House.

" Well, dat didn't change much…"

Alex smiled.

" Well, that's only the front part. There's been a great renovation towards the rear. I must admit though, that it's the original part that's more appealing."

The car stopped at the gate where the guards recognized him and passed him through. Alex then personally drove to the parking spot near by and stopped the vehicle. Before he got out, he turned to Rogue.

" Before we go in… Salute everyone you see. These people all outrank both you and me. Unless spoken to, don't speak. I'll handle all the talking."

Rogue nodded, and checked her quarter of an inch long hair that stood up like a jar since she just trimmed the sides last night. She approved the condition with her own smile and got her hat on. She looked at Alex, and followed him to the front door. The two Mps guarding the door opened it towards inside, and closed it just as Rogue and Alex entered. There were classical music played by the orchestra towards the back, and people of high status waltzing about in the center. Rogue's green eyes filled with wonder when she saw Alex walking towards the refreshments. She quickly followed him, and saw Alex saluting to a couple getting a glass of Champaign. She saluted as well.

" General…"

The man turned around and returned the salute.

" Oh, Captain Bradford… Nice to see you again."

Alex took up a glass of Champaign also, then turned to the bartender to bring out a soft drink as well. He poured what seemed like Sprite into the Champaign glass and handed it to Rogue.

" I know you can't drink yet, private…"

Rogue took the glass.

" Thank you, sir."

The general looked at Rogue, then spoke to Alex with smile.

" Who is this young lady, captain?"

" I'm sorry, sir. This is Private Rogue. She's one of the men under my command, general."

The general's wife lost her smile.

" So she's a mutant?"

Alex managed to keep his cool. He didn't like his men being treated as freaks even though these high-class people were going to stake their lives over their success.

" Yes, ma'am. I just thought that I'd provide her with dinner since the mess hall is closed this evening…"

The woman forcefully chuckled.

" I see…"

Rogue maintained a stoic expression. It was getting increasingly difficult as each of the people began treating her slightly different as they found out that she was a mutant. Rogue sipped the soda and followed Alex to the president.

" Hello, father…"

President Michael Bradford turned and welcomed his son.

" Alex! Nice to join me… Who is this lady? I recognize her…"

" She's in my unit, father. I thought since the mess hall was closed this evening, we might get some dinner here…"

Rogue saluted as the president's eyes met hers. Right away, she didn't feel comfortable around him either. She was in a house full of mutant haters, and only Capt. Bradford was on her defense. She didn't like it much…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party seems to continue. Will Rogue be able to cope with these people? Is the 3rd Platoon(AKA Mutant Platoon) be ready for their task?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	5. Chapter 5

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is Alternate Universe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lull of silence loomed over the great hall where many people gathered. The musicians were relieved and another group began providing the atmosphere. Rogue stood next to Alex, who continued to speak with the president, his father. They have been talking to each other for a while, mostly on the subject of politics that Rogue had no interest. She looked around the hall when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

" Well, let's get something to eat. Follow me."

Rogue followed Alex to the dining room. Some of the guests were catching their dinner here as well. Alex grabbed two plates of steaks and got a small table. He placed the plates on the table and helped Rogue to the chair. After he sat down, he smiled.

" I hope it satisfies you…"

Rogue waited until Alex picked up his knife and fork. When he did so, she picked up hers as well. Rogue took a first bite to calm her stomach. She then felt the same feeling she had been getting ever since she stepped into the White House. It was pretty clear that she wasn't welcome here. Alex noticed Rogue eating slower than usual, and looked at her.

" Something wrong, private?"

Rogue looked around, then shook her head.

" No, sir."

Alex sighed, then whispered.

" I know… These people are arrogant bastards who don't know that they will owe their lives to you. So don't worry."

Rogue and Alex finished their meal slowly. They started a conversation regarding their private lives.

" …So you never had a boyfriend before? It's hard to believe…"

Rogue sighed.

" Well, with mah mutation, who's wanna be mah boyfriend, sir? All da boys would want to kiss or do somethin' else…"

Alex noted the way Rogue trailed off. He knew what she was trying to say, and he could take a guess at the reason why she trailed off on the subject.

" I know about that incident… I would like to apologize… I guess I shouldn't have asked you the question…"

Rogue shook her head in disagreement.

" No, sir. It's alright. Ah just don't wanna remember it."

Alex nodded slowly. Rogue then asked her question.

" So what was Jenny like?"

Alex stared at the last piece on his plate and sighed.

" She was rather stubborn. Heh! She was quite like you in a sense. Her family wasn't that rich, nor were they powerful. I remember when she came into the boot camp. She shaved her head bald just like you, and scared the crap out of everyone present. At first, my father was hesitant that I wanted to marry her, but he eventually came around."

Rogue then sighed.

" Sir, Ah… Ah just want yah to know dat Ah'm not Jenny… Ah can't even comprehend what kind of person she was, nor will Ah ever be able to fill her shoes…"

Alex smiled to reassure Rogue.

" I know, Rogue… I know…"

Alex looked at the watch, and stood up.

" Well, shall we?"

Rogue sat there dumbfounded.

" Shall we what, sir?"

Alex took Rogue's hand, and led her back into the hall. Rogue saw Alex leading her to the center where people were dancing, and stopped in her tracks.

" Sir… Ah… We've talked about dis…"

Alex turned around, and took off his hat. His hazel eyes stared into Rogue's eyes.

" I… I'm sorry."

Alex released Rogue's hand, and got his hat back on. Before he could walk to the other people Rogue stopped him.

" Sir…"

Alex turned his head.

" Yes?"

Rogue spoke nervously.

" Perhaps if we weren't in uniform…"

Alex smiled.

" I'll hold you to that promise…"

With that, they walked back to the president and the other guests. The president and the others became uneasy at seeing Rogue again.

" Can I have a word with you, Alex?"

The president led Alex to the corner, and began whispering.

" Okay, son. Why is she still here? She at her dinner, now take her back to base."

Alex spoke in a sour tone.

" Why father? Are you and these 'fine folks' embarrassed that your lives may be spared by mutants?"

They looked back towards Rogue who stayed where she was. The president brought Alex around the corner away from everyone's eyes, and slapped across his son's face.

" You speak to me that way again or to these folks, and I'll make sure you're no longer their leader."

Alex stared at his father fiercely, but didn't say anything.

" Now, go out there and take her back to base. If I ever see her or any of her kind again, it will be outside of this house. You got that?"

Alex sighed.

" Do you want me back afterwards?"

" You can do whatever you want, but I want her out of here."

Alex straightened out his uniform, and walked out. On the way he turned around towards his father.

" For your information, I brought her here against her will. And I promise you, father. I'll make you indebted to them."

Alex walked around the corner. The president looked around the corner as well. He saw his son talking to the mutant girl and taking her away from the other people.

' You ingrate…'

Meanwhile, the others at the bar had already wrapped things up. The cues were returned to its original position, and the bills were paid. They walked out of the bar, and slowly walked to the barracks. Kurt sighed as he showed his ID to the guard. The MP who was guarding the main gate handed the ID back, and let them all pass. The mutants dropped to their bunks as the fatigue from their enjoyment mounted. Sgt. Morris saw that both Rogue and Capt. Bradford were missing, and sighed. He changed into his uniform, and looked at the notice board outside. He saw that the 3rd Platoon was ordered to be deployed to the frontline tomorrow at 0800. He came back in.

" We're moving out to the front line 0800 tomorrow. I want you guys to be ready. Private Dukes… I want you to do your PT for today."

Fred stepped out of the barracks with some frustration. He was beginning to look a lot better. His excessive flab of skin that resulted from the rapid weight loss had been surgically removed. Fred looked lean as everyone else and because of it, carried and aura of toughness. He then looked at the others who were fatigued. He then yelled at them as well.

" What do you think you're doing here sleeping! Move out!"

The others followed Fred on the course. The nice aspect was that they weren't carrying their equipments, but the downside was that they were already tired. The sun was already gone from the sky, and the stars shimmered to let the people see a little bit.

------

While Sgt. Morris and the others were running in the night, Rogue and Alex drove back to the base. Rogue sat quietly, remembering how Alex basically dragged her out of the White House. Alex, on the other hand, was trying to get a feel for his father's state of mind. When they were good distance away from the building that they got out of , Rogue spoke.

" Sir… It was meh, wasn't it? Da reason yahr face's red and da fact that yah practically dragged meh out of dere…"

Alex sighed.

" Actually, I won't blame you. It was more of the stupid politics' fault. The presi… My father will continue to think that this was a bad idea as long as we don't show any great success. That gives him something to fall back on when things don't go well. I don't know if he really means it, but he will pretend to hate mutants as long as there are people who think ill of mutants… My duty, as the leader, and as a member of a family called 3rd Platoon is to lead you guys to survive through this. I won't let this team get slaughtered like the others."

Rogue smiled.

" And Ah believe yah mean dat…"

They arrived at the base to see the other members of the team running in the training ground. Alex became curious, and as soon as he got out of the car, he ran towards Sgt. Morris.

" Sergeant! What's going on here?"

Sgt. Morris stopped, and handed him the notice that he ripped from the board.

" We're getting deployed tomorrow at 0800. I thought that since Private Dukes is running we all might as well run."

Alex smiled, and patted the sergeant's shoulder.

" Good thinking. I'll join you too."

Alex began running in his dress uniform, and prompted Rogue to follow. They all ran around the obstacle course, and when Fred was done, they all stopped. Alex and Rogue looked at their dress uniform and smirked. When Rogue had a somewhat concerned expression, Alex smirked.

" It'll be a while before we have to wear this again. Don't worry."

They returned to barracks, and showered in groups. Everyone changed to their combat uniforms and began packing their belongings into the rucksacks. Logan smirked as he saw that the basic idea of rucksack had not changed since the last time he saw combat.

" I guess it's true. 'If it's not broken, don't fix it.'"

Alex smirked.

" I guess so…"

Loud zipping noises, and the people slipping into the bunks echoed through the barracks. Alex looked outside to see some of the other barracks doing the same. The 2nd Platoon was also getting ready for their deployment, so was the 5th, and 9th Platoon. He also noticed the 12th Infantry division, which was a regular unit, getting ready as well to the north west corner of the base. He sighed along with Sgt. Morris.

" I wonder if we can do this, sir…"

Alex nodded.

" We have to, sergeant… We have to…"

When everyone finished loading their gears, ammunition was handed out to everyone. They placed them in the pouches of the web-gears and other places they could think of. They had ammunition to fight for a day and a half, or may be two days without pausing. Everyone then got into their bunks early. They needed the rest for the task they were about to take on. Alex saw everyone all ready, and turned the lights off. He went into his office, and placed his equipment on the ground as well. He laid on the bed and began thinking about the training that he gave to these mutants. He suddenly became afraid that he may not have gave them enough training, or that they didn't have the right equipments. He knew that the weapons and the other things were fine, and they didn't have to worry about the night vision goggles like the past. The helmet had a built in night vision visor that doubled as a gigantic polarized sunglasses. He started checking things off in his head.

' Weapon…check. Ammo…check. Supply…check. Rations and water…check. Morale…'

He paused. He wasn't sure whether his men felt ready. He knew that the supposed 48 hour leave that was cut short to 24 hours will affect their minds, but he wasn't sure whether his men would be mentally ready. He had read reports that the insertion would probably a hot one. They were going to be sent into the city that was under siege: New Los Angeles. The aliens had dropped their infantries near the tips of the continents facing Antarctica. This has led many of the staff members in the military HQ to believe that they had set up a supply depot or a some sort of drop off point in the uninhabited land of the South pole. The ones who landed near the Cape Horn at the southern tip of South American continent had pushed up towards the North American continent in a ferocious speed, and advanced up as far north as Southern California and as east as California/Arizona border. Apparently on the other continents, however, the men had held off the advance well enough to contain the enemy at around the parallel 20 degrees north of the equator. It seemed very apparent that the aliens threw majority of their forces on the assault of the American continent. The fact that the Earth Alliance government was located in the east coast area of the North American continent wasn't just a coincidence. These aliens knew the about the Earth Alliance.

' We have to hold their advance at New Los Angeles!'

Alex closed his eyes, but the adrenalin that was pumped into his body from all the thinking prevented him. He moved around, and finally got himself to calm down. He looked at his dog tags, which had three plates instead of two. He shuffled away his own and saw Jenny's tag that was half melted.

' I'll get them for you… Please watch over me…'

------

The orange glow began to rise over the horizon to the east, and it began glowing brighter and brighter. The orange glow slowly disappeared, and the sky changed into blueness that everyone was familiar with. In the small buildings all around the large base, activities began as soon as the orange glow began appearing. It wasn't any different for the barrack of 3rd Platoon. Everyone woke up, and began gearing themselves up. Their web gears went over their blouse, shouldering their weapons, and putting rucksacks on their backs. Alex strapped his pistol on the holster that hung down from the belt and wrapped around his right thigh. He then smacked his head as if he had just remembered what he had forgotten.

' Damn it! I forgot to put in request for pistols!'

He rushed out, with his gear on. He went past Sgt. Morris who just finished strapping everything on himself.

" Where are you going, sir?!"

Alex yelled out without looking back.

" Forgot about the damn side arms!"

Sgt. Morris sighed. He had forgotten about them as well. He looked at his watch, and sighed. They had an hour before they were going to be transported. He looked down at the airfield, which was littered with transport crafts. He then spotted a new model. He was sure it was their ride. Logan walked towards him and inquired.

" Where's the captain going, sarge?"

Sgt. Morris sighed.

" He's getting us side arms. Are we all ready?"

Sgt. Morris looked around and found everyone nodding.

" Okay then, move out! We'll wait for the captain in front of the barracks."

They all walked out of the barracks. Logan looked back at the bunks and smirked.

" You know, kids… It'll be a while before we sleep on the beds again."

Everyone looked back for a while, then moved on. When they lined up, Capt. Bradford came with pistols and holsters.

" Okay. Nice of you to bring them out here, sergeant. Let's get them these pistols on, shall we?"

Alex handed each of them pistols and holsters matching their primary hand. Majority of them had their holsters on their right thigh, while some of them had placed it on their left thigh. Alex saw that everyone had their equipments on in a correct manner, then smiled.

" Who's not ready?"

His question received silence as the answer. Alex nodded in approval.

" Move out!"

The sixteen members walked towards the airfield, and met the members of the other platoons and the 12th division as well. They looked at the mutants who were about to embark on their first mission like them and scoffed.

" There's no way they'll survive this…"

" I heard it's going to be a major offensive to drive them back…"

" Ha! Those muties will eat it for sure!"

Alex saw his men betting rather worried at the remarks of those arrogant, and also ignorant soldiers. He knew that the bravado calmed them down but he didn't like it when it was at the expense of his own men. He looked back at the mutants under his command and led them inside the transport that was specially designed for their unit. As they got on, Rogue became curious.

" What's with dis one? It looks different from de oders…"

Sgt. Morris smirked.

" It's a new model. We're going to use it as a field test."

The mutants sighed. It seemed like they were being used as a guinea pigs in weapons development. They all strapped themselves tight in their seats along side the walls. The earphone mounted in the helmet immediately received the radio chatter. The pilots were checking the engines and all sorts of things, and finally, the small aircraft emitted loud noise from its engines mounted throughout the airframe. They began moving forward and finally took off.

When the aircraft was at the optimal altitude and speed, Alex took off the straps, and took out dog tags. As he handed out the dog tags, he apologized for the delay.

" Sorry, but we had trouble printing them."

He let the others get the dog tags on, and took a deep breath.

" Scott! Lower your visor. Bracelets off! Pass them towards me."

Everyone took off their bracelets and handed them to Alex except Rogue. Alex looked at her curiously.

" Your bracelet, private."

Rogue hesitated for a while, then took it off.

" Here."

Alex smiled.

" You'll get them back after combat."

Scott looked around with wonder. The visor in his helmet doubled as the visor he had when he was X-Man.

" Nice."

Sgt. Morris smiled.

" It operates the same as your old visor. The boys in the R&D made sure your helmet functioned like your old one."

Scott nodded. Alex turned back to the pilots and smiled.

" Lower the rear ramp a bit. I want them to test their abilities. The last thing I need is for them to find out that their abilities are gone."

The pilot lowered the hatch a bit, and Scott poked his head out and fired the red ray from his eyes. Logan let the claws loose. He saw the black, metallic claws instead of the silvery metal ones he had. He intentionally scratched his skin, and saw it heal up quickly. One by one, they tested their powers and sat back down. Rogue, however, sat through the whole ordeal. She looked at her gloved hands and sighed.

' Damn it… Ah'm still same as when Ah had da bracelet on…'

A lot of them closed their eyes to get some sleep since it was very obvious that it would be a long flight. Alex looked at his sights and tried to re-zero the weapon. He knew these mutants would be in for a surprise when they see the aliens. He looked at each of them slowly. He wanted to get a feel for their mentality. He could have just asked for Jean to tell him, but he wanted it to be more meaningful. By now, he had figured out most of the expressions and habits of these mutants. He saw that most of them didn't feel anything. Some of them, mostly Brotherhood members, were eager for combat. His eyes rested upon Rogue, who still looked at her hands that were covered with thin, black leather gloves. She took out the knife, and began cutting the fingers at the first joint towards the finger tips. Her hands were bare once again from the finger tip to the second joint. She left her thumbs still covered, then finally cut them on a segment's length. Alex smirked, and reached in for his dog tags and stared at them again.

------

Hours had passed when the pilot woke up Alex.

" Sir, ETA 5 minutes. Recon says LZ is hot."

Alex nodded, and tuned to his men.

" Wake up everyone!"

Everyone woke up, and some rubbed their eyes.

" Lock and load!"

Everyone cocked their primary weapons by pulling a thin metal flap between the rifle and the carrying handle towards the back and releasing it. They soon safety the rifle. Everyone then cocked the pistol, and safety them as well. After securing everything, they sat in their seats and grew more and more nervous. Kurt was praying under his breath, and some of the others were beginning to follow his example. Logan was very calm. His eyes were fixed upon the wall in front of him, and the lights that was on it. Rogue began closing and opening her hands. Pretty soon afterwards, the aircraft began buffeting, occasional noise that sounded like sparkle echoed within the rear bay. Alex smirked at the noise. He was back again, and this time he was a different man that he was a year before when he first faced these aliens. His hazel eyes were fixed upon the hatch towards the rear. He looked to his side where a small window was located. He saw one of the aircraft, assigned to carry 9th Platoon get hit by the lightning like weapon towards the cockpit. The aircraft pitched up for a moment, then began diving towards the ground. He and all of the others heard the deafening scream of terror of the 16 men who were plunging towards their death. The co-pilot looked at them and sighed.

" They fried the controls… Poor bastards…"

Some, like Kitty began feeling fear. They knew that the 9th was one of the best trained among the troops back at the base. It seemed surreal that they would be shot down, and will not be able to fire a single shot. Alex looked at his watch when the pilot yelled back.

" One minute!"

Everyone's body stiffened, and unhooked their straps holding them in place. After about thirty seconds, the hatch began to open slowly and the full noise of the chaos underneath finally reached their senses. By the time the aircraft started its descent, the rear hatch was fully open. The mutants were free to experience the horror of the battle they were about to partake though their senses. The city's southern border was already breached, and they were in the midst of the city itself surrounded by the tall buildings. They saw blue lightning like ray streaked towards them, and the pilot skillfully dodged it by shifting the stick to the right a bit. Lance sighed as he saw the blue ray passed by his head by just two feet.

" That was close…"

Over the communication system, they heard the pilot's voice.

" Touch down in five…four…three…two…one…Go! Go! Go!"

Everyone stood up, and poured out of the aircraft. Alex saw the friendly tank near by and panicked for a moment.

" Move!"

Alex led his platoon near the building to the left. They had just hid behind the side of the building when the tank exploded, launching shrapnel all over down the funnel of the street. The sound of gunfire, eerie sound of the aliens firing their weapons, and musky smell of death loomed about the whole city. Most of the mutants became sick to the stomach as their senses absorbed such hints of the environment. Alex tried to raise the HQ on radio for a while with failure, then looked around the corner, and turned back towards Sgt. Morris.

" I want second squad to provide cover fire as we go across. We need to pull back, and meet the general in charge. I can't do shit without knowing what the hell's going on."

Alex turned to the first squad, which consisted of Scott, Jean, Rogue, Piotr, Remy, Wanda, Lance, and himself. He turned to them and smiled.

" Well, are we ready?"

They all nodded. Wanda took her hands off of her weapon, and smiled.

" I'll try to cover us."

Alex smirked. He hadn't thought of it. He then looked at Wanda.

" Can you cover all sixteen of us?"

Wanda shook her head.

" It's too much. I can do about four at a time."

Alex sighed.

" I, for one, will take my chances."

Jean then commented.

" I can probably cover the other four… I just hope that I can create a barrier against electricity…"

Scott then got his hand on the side of his helmet.

" I'll let out a stream of fire with my ray… We need to conserve ammo as much as possible right?"

Alex nodded.

" Damn, we got everything covered. Okay, let's go."

The second squad, which consisted of Sgt. Morris, Kurt, Logan, Kitty, Storm, Pietro, and Fred took position in front of the first squad and poked their guns out. As soon as the first squad came out of the corner, Jean and Wanda used their powers to shield themselves from the oncoming rays of electricity. The second squad slowly picked off the sources of the rays and fired a few, but accurate shots on the creatures three blocks away. Scott also fired his own ray to push back every one of the aliens. The second squad followed under the cover of the first squad. Sgt. Morris whistled after he found a cover for himself.

" Whoo! It's getting fun!"

Rogue looked through the scope of her rifle around the pillar that she used as a cover. The aliens were not visible since the scopes on her rifle, or the others for that matter, did not zoom much. At most it was marked for 2x zoom, and the dirt and debris lingering in the air didn't help their efforts to get a first look at their opponent. She then felt the tap on her shoulder from Alex who was in front of her. Alex ran towards the back, and Rogue waited for a few seconds before she ran back, tapping Scott's back. He waited also for a while then ran back and tapped Jean's shoulder. While repeating such steps, the mutant platoon fell back to the northern part of the city. Alex suddenly raised his closed fist to signal hold. He looked around the corner and saw the HQ around the corner of the building. He lowered his hand, then turned around the corner, and one by one, the others followed. They ran to the building, that was guarded by some of the troops and heavy equipments. He passed the troops guarding the front gate, and entered to see the general in charge.

" General."

The general looked up and saw Alex. He had a rather unpleasant look. It seemed as though he was surprised to find Alex and his men had survived their retreat back to the HQ.

" Captain…"

Alex walked up, and sighed.

" General, I couldn't reach you with the radio at the front, sir. I came here to get better understanding of the situation and your orders."

The general's eyes lit with fire.

" You were supposed to hold the position that you've landed, captain! Wasn't it obvious when you landed?"

Alex was taken back as well as Sgt. Morris. This general expected them to hold off a eight lane street with just 16 men.

" General… You can't be serious about it… Are you sir?"

The general looked down at Sgt. Morris, and blurted out a comment without thinking.

" Well, your mutants should be able to hold them off, or they should die trying!"

The general then shifted his gaze towards Alex. His hazel eyes were very angry. The general cleared his throat and apologized.

" I have been under some pressure. I apologize, captain."

The general and Alex looked at the map of the city. The general pointed to the largest building at the center.

" Can your team take this building?"

Alex became surprised at this general's idiocy. He still expected his team to cover a ground larger than it can cover.

" Sir…"

General smirked wickedly.

" Oh, you mean you can't take it?"

Alex knew what this general was trying to do. He was trying to use the pride to make someone go on a virtual suicide mission. The building was over hundred floors with numerous rooms inside. He needed at least two companies of very highly trained soldiers to even think of pulling it off. Sixteen men was way too little.

" I'll need at least a company sir."

The general sighed.

" I thought so… Captain, are you refusing to follow my orders?"

Alex felt trapped. He was obligated by the order but he knew it was a complete suicide mission with almost 0 success, let alone chance of survival. He thought for a while on the issue.

' I can't let my men go in there. It'll be a death trap, but I can't be relieved. Not here. Either way my men will be killed'

Alex saluted to the general.

" I'll take the job, sir. By the way, what's the radio frequency to call in support, sir?"

The general provided the frequency and went back to his other duties. With that, Alex came out of the building where his men had dropped their rucksacks full of miscellaneous items. Instead, they packed more of ammunition, food, and water. Alex saw what they did and looked at Logan who just smiled. It was apparent that he had instructed the others to do so. He pulled out a map and laid it on the ground for everyone to see.

" We're ordered to take this building. It's just behind the enemy line. I know it sounds suicidal mission, and I agree, but the general will send you to the building even if he relieves me of my command. I can't let you all die like that."

Everyone stared into Alex's eyes. When they found out that he was sincere about it, they smiled.

" Vell ve don't vant anyone else, sir…", spoke Kurt.

The others nodded as well. This man was pretty much the only officer who had any sympathy for them. They preferred to stake their lives on him than someone else. Alex looked around, and tried to read their thoughts through their eyes. Everyone of them seemed to give him the vote of confidence. Alex nodded, and pocketed the map.

" Let me and Sgt. Morris here get our rucksacks refilled."

They went back to the supplies, and began pouring out the things they had out, and started dumping in ammo, food, and most important of all water. While they were restocking their rucksack, the mutants looked at each other.

" Suicide mission, I knew they wouldn't want us alive!"

Rogue sighed.

" But at least Captain Bradford's on our side… Ah for one, think dat we'd be toast on our way back if it was someone else…"

The others nodded in agreement. Rogue cocked the rifle as Alex and the sergeant came back out.

" Let's move out."

Alex let Sgt. Morris take point. They replayed the bound and cover routine as they did with their retreat back to the HQ. After about two blocks of maneuver, Alex stopped the whole platoon, and spoke with Sgt. Morris and the others.

" Don't you think it's just way too easy? If we were the last men on this section, we should have encountered heavy resistance on our way back out. So where are these aliens?"

Logan began sniffing to see if he could pick up on their scent. He shook his head after a while.

" They're not underground, nor near by."

Alex looked down at he map again.

" Why stop advancing? They got just over half of the city occupied…"

Logan added.

" Where are the civilians? Did they evacuate?"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah, at least I think so."

Logan began thinking.

" You might want to check, sir. Those civilians might have been killed or captured by these aliens."

Alex radioed back to HQ.

" General. Have the civilians evacuated from the city yet?"

There was a long pause. Logan sighed. He quietly shook his head before the general came back.

" No… they haven't."

Alex cut the transmission and punched the concrete sidewalk that he was kneeling on.

" Sons of bitches!"

Sgt. Morris looked at Alex along with everyone else.

" Perhaps they've done something to the building, sir. It's the largest building around the whole city isn't it?"

Alex nodded. He looked back to the others.

" We may have hostage situation in the building. I want you to be careful about who you shoot at."

The others nodded. Alex waved his arm once again.

" Let's move out."

They continued to approach the building slowly. They stopped about half a block away. Alex looked through the binocular to count the opposition at the front.

" I count about ten. Remember, always shoot them in the head at least once. They'll get up and jump you from the back if you don't."

The mutants nodded, and began attaching suppressors on the barrel, and flashlight & red laser module on the sides of the barrel. They took out the MPPL's HE magazine and replaced it with shotgun magazines. When they were ready, they waited for Alex's signal to advance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are the civilians alive? Why did the aliens stop their advance? Will they be able to secure the building with just themselves?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	6. Chapter 6

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is **Alternate Universe**.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone aimed their sights on different targets. Alex looked through the binocular while he had his thumbs up. His men looked tense. It was the first time they were seeing the alien up close. Their right arm formed into a cone with a hole, while their left arm wriggled with their tentacles. Their brown body seemed somewhat slimy for some reason. Alex looked at and saw them all gulping with fear.

" Just be careful about killing them first. You probably won't get the second chance."

He lowered his thumb to signal his men to fire. The ten mutants quickly double tapped, sending two bullets per target. With quiet, almost indistinguishable puffs, the small bullets left the barrels. Each of them impacted on the ten aliens almost all at once. The ten aliens just fell down without any chance to alert anyone. Alex confirmed that they were dead through his binoculars and turned around.

" Okay. Logan, and Piotr. You guys stay inside the first floor and cover us. Sgt. Morris, you and Pyro stay here, and support Logan and Piotr. Oh, and Pyro."

Pyro looked up.

" Yeah, captain?"

Alex took his rucksack off, and pulled out a couple of the gas canisters, and a pistol like attachment along with a hose.

" This thing's a flame thrower. I'm sure you'll have fun with it… Just make sure you make those aliens burn…"

Pyro's face brightened.

" You want alien shish kabob, sir?"

Alex smirked.

" I want them extra crispy."

Pyro nodded.

" Yes, sir."

Alex looked at the entrance, and nodded.

" Let's move out."

Everyone got up, and speed walked in unison to the door. Sgt. Morris opened the door somewhat, and peeked inside. He pulled out his flash bang, and pulled the pin with his teeth. He received a nod from Alex, and rolled it inside. Everyone quickly got their rifles up, and waited. With a thunderous blast inside, Sgt. Morris kicked the door in, and everyone rushed in. There were about three aliens on guard, and found themselves overwhelmed by the explosives. When their senses were half way back, sixteen men humans were already pulling their trigger. The aliens were taken out before they even had a chance to retaliate. Sgt. Morris and Logan threw the tables, and sofas on the reception table of the first floor and made a cover for themselves. The four tasked to hold off the first floor found a spot for themselves, and Alex looked at his other men.

" We'll divide into three man team. I'll lead the Alpha team with Kitty and Kurt. Pietro… You lead the Bravo team of Remy and Lance. Scott, you'll lead the Charlie Team of Fred and Jean. Finally, Rogue, you lead the Delta team with Ororo and Wanda. The leaders will be the one who goes in first. You're among the best shooters I've got with some leadership abilities. I want you guys to make the job easier for the other two in your teams. Alpha and Bravo will take the odd numbered floors, and Charlie and Delta take the even numbered floors. Use the stairs, not the elevator. Let's go."

Alpha and Bravo stopped at the door leading to the first floor corridors while Charlie and Delta moved up the stairs towards the second floor. Alex waited until he received a ready from the teams upstairs.

" Ready…"

Alex drew a deep breath then sighed quietly.

" Go."

The teams on first and second floor kicked the door, and entered the corridors. They split up, one team turning left, while the other turned right. Alpha, led by Alex arrived a the first door. Alex kicked the door, and entered with his rifle ready. He saw an alien in front, but turned left, and hugged the wall. Kitty who followed saw the one that Alex didn't shoot and fired her weapon at him. She saw the greenish liquid gushing from the holes and sighed.

" Eww… That's, like, gross…"

Alex looked at Kitty and Kurt and sighed.

" Clear. Next room."

Alex looked around the corridor to see if someone had gotten out of the room. He moved to the room across the corridor and kicked its door as well. He saw that the room was empty. He turned around.

" Clear."

One by one, they began clearing the rooms on the East and North side of the building, while Bravo team began clearing West and South side of the building in almost a same manner. They didn't encounter much of threat on their advance.

On the second floor, Rogue turned towards right, and led the Delta while Pietro led the Charlie to left. Scott saw an alien walking away in the corridor and took his shots. The body fell to the ground, and he stopped at the first door. He kicked the door, then went straight in. They took out two aliens who appeared to be resting, and moved on to the next door. Jean then looked at the dying corpses, and tried to read their minds to see if it was possible. She sighed in frustration as she found out that she couldn't even enter their minds.

' Damn it."

Rogue saw the first door, and lined up against the wall. She kicked it in, and saw a human raising his hands in the air.

" Don't sho…"

Rogue placed her left index finger at her lips to tell him to be quiet. She told Wanda to flex cuff him, and looked out of the room. She felt the tap from Wanda that she had finished and moved on. They breached the next room and found three aliens speaking with each other. Rogue quickly shot two of them while Ororo took out the last one. They panted from the shock and excitement.

" That scared me so badly…"

Rogue looked around the corner, and saw an alien coming out of its room. She quickly hid, and prayed that it will move away from her. She turned around and saw that her prayer seemed to have been answered. She placed the red dot in her scope on its head and fired two shots. She then moved on to the next room. She found subsequent rooms on the second floor empty.

' What da hell? Where are da hostages?'

While moving back towards the stairs, she found the Alpha and Bravo team moving up to the third floor. She then saw Charlie approaching from the left.

" Did yah find any of da hostages?"

Scott shook his head.

" No. You?"

Rogue held up one finger.

" Only one."

The two teams moved up to fourth floor, and followed the same routine of eliminating the aliens inside, and flex cuffing the hostages. They continued to do so for about 50 floors of the building when Alex stopped everyone.

" Stop. I hear noise in the theatre on 51st floor."

Alex listened in. There were groans, and screams of agony that was definitely human. Among the noise, he heard the high pitch grunts, and other noises that the aliens made.

' Shit…'

Alex got on the radio, and spoke quietly.

" Listen up. We're going to leave the 51st floor for the end. Clear all other rooms first."

" Roger."

Alex waited for a while to make sure that no one would come out of the room and then moved out. With the instruction in their minds, everyone continued on as if nothing happened in the 51st floor. As they went up, they found more and more of the hostages cooped up in the rooms. Rogue and Scott's teams had just broken down the door leading to the 100th floor when they saw an alien in front of them. Both Scott and Rogue fired, and took it out, but it got off a shot from its gun on its right arm. The noise alerted all the others on the floor and they all poured out with their 'guns' a blazing. The bursts of blue rays covered the air, and everyone ducked down to the floor. They leaned against the walls and slowly took out one by one. The walls protected them from the electric charge since it seemed to be made of non-conducting material. Rogue looked around the corner, and shot a few, then hid back. She looked at Ororo.

" Could yah summon some kind of a weather phenomenon in here?"

Ororo nodded.

" Wind, perhaps…"

Rogue looked at her grenades, but decided against it. She wanted the noises to be contained as much as it could to this floor. She looked at Scott, and sighed.

' Dis's gettin' messy…'

Jean used her powers to push back the aliens then fired a couple of shots. She heard the footsteps towards the stairs, and pointed her weapon towards it. She was glad to see Alex and the others.

" Heard the shots… What's the situation?"

" Dey've got us pinned down as yah can see…"

Alex looked at the suppressors that were still attached to his team members' rifles, and sighed.

" Take them off. They already know…"

Everyone took their suppressors off, and switched to MPPL. They all pumped the action and fired shotgun shells. All of the aliens fell backwards, and Alex took no time pumping them full of bullets in their heads. After he finished the last one, he cocked his head towards the rooms. The twelve men spread out, and started to clear them one by one.

" There's no one here!"

" Let's get back to 51st."

They all rushed down stairs to the theatre. On the way Alex began briefing them in on their plans.

" All four team will take one corner each. At the code 'Green' we'll all rush in. Don't use your mutant abilities, and Rogue…"

She looked at Alex.

" Yes, sir?"

Alex sighed, then spoke.

" You don't have to secure the hostages."

Rogue nodded.

" Yes, sir."

------

Down on the first floor reception hall, Logan, Piotr, Sgt. Morris, and Pyro saw the aliens approaching about two blocks away. Sgt. Morris quickly got on the radio.

" Captain, this is Sgt. Morris here. We got E.T.s moving towards us about two blocks away. We'll try to hold them off, but you must finish what your doing and come down here. I doubt four of us can hold them off. It seems like they got a whole battalion headed towards us."

In the staircase between 53rd and 52nd floor, Alex heard the situation and responded.

" Acknowledged."

Alex then hastened their pace. He stopped in front of the door of the 51st floor and looked at each of the team leaders.

" Do not, I'll say it again. Do not fire at humans no matter what. I don't care if they're covered with some alien crap. Don't fire."

Everyone nodded. Alex nodded with a smile, then drew a deep breath.

" Let's rock and roll…"

Each team moved to the four doors, and stood by. Alex took out a flash bang, and pulled the pin. He whispered to the other teams as well.

" Flash and clear."

The four lead shooters stood ready while the second one rolled the non-fragmenting grenade inside. They closed the doors and looked away. They heard the loud bang, and the screams and shrieks.

" Green!"

Everyone rushed in, and began shooting the visible aliens one by one. After quick three seconds after the word Green, the theatre was clear, and everyone began looking after the hostages. Lance saw a woman enveloped with that seemed like tree roots around her. He moved closer, and heard the faint groan. He looked back, and hollered.

" Captain!"

Just as he finished his words, one of the branches moved, and impaled Lance in his stomach. He screamed in pain, and Rogue who was near by took a quick shot at the woman. When her life ceased, the branch became limp and dropped Lance. He pulled the three inch thick organic rod out of his stomach, and gasped for breath.

" Damn it! Damn it!"

Alex rushed in, and took out a kit from his small rucksack. He stripped Lance's vest and the shirt, then got a pouch full of gel like substance and placed it in the middle of the three inch hole. He ripped the bag and the gel filled it in. Alex quickly wrapped a bandage around Lance's torso and clamped it shut. The others wondered at what Alex had done. Alex looked at Lance, and sighed. He got rid of the wrap that the gel and the bandages were in and looked up.

" That'll help him for the next 48 hours."

He made the lap clock in his watch to start, then smiled.

" We had a lot of these types of injury before… You're really lucky Private Lance…"

After securing the hostages, Alex smiled.

" Well, let's get Lance to the first floor…"

Kurt smiled.

" I'll teleport everyone… Grab mein hand…"

Everyone grabbed Kurt's hand, and they disappeared with the puff, and the next moment, they were at the corridor of the first floor. They heard the automatic weapons fire and almost endless bursts of the high pitch roar of the alien weapons. Alex ordered everyone to switch to HE round for the MPPL, then pumped the action. The others followed suit. They rushed out to the receptionists' hall, and fired a barrage of the 20mm high-explosive rounds into the oncoming aliens. With the explosion, some of the aliens moved back. Everyone pumped another round into the chamber, and fired again. While they were doing so, Alex got on to the radio carried by Sgt. Morris, and called in the HQ.

" This is 3rd Platoon! Hostages are secure. Request gunship support!"

After some moment of pause, the general came on.

" Repeat what you said captain."

" This is 3rd Platoon! Hostages are secure. Request gunship support! We're in danger of being over run."

" Roger that."

Alex dropped the receiver and continue to fire the HE rounds. They could see the number of their enemies dropping slowly. Pretty soon, Alex received a call from the gunship pilot.

" This is Red-24. Come in, Captain Bradford!"

Alex looked at the sky far away. He saw two gunships orbiting on the sky just outside of the range of the alien's weapons.

" This is Captain Bradford. I want you to pour your ordinances down until it reaches the road in front of the building!"

" Roger that. Red-24 inbound."

Alex and the others now poured in their rifle rounds since their HE rounds were gone. They saw the two gunships coming in with their gatling guns letting out an almost continuous stream of bullets, and rockets. Logan smiled as he saw the aliens being pounded. Pretty soon, the street was littered the alien corpses. Alex looked at Rogue, and she stared back at him. Just then Remy tapped Alex's shoulder.

" We did it, monsieur capitan!"

Alex and the others cheered in celebration. Soon, the transport arrived with more troops. They recognized them as the 5th Platoon. They were surprised at seeing the 'mutant platoon' alive and well. Only one seemed to have suffered any wound. While the 3rd got into the transport, 5th went inside and brought out every hostages. Rogue looked at the body of the one she shot being dragged out. Just then their transport lifted off, and flew north. She grabbed the hose from the hydration pack, and began drinking water. It had dehydrated her so much that her body felt numb. She took off her helmet, and wiped her forehead with her arm. She got the helmet back on then sighed.

' Ah made it! Ah survived mah first fight…'

She looked up at the roof, and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe that she had just survive her first major firefight in her life. While everyone else celebrated, Lance was being tended by the medics. They looked at his wounds, and smirked.

" This kid just bought himself a time off."

Alex looked around, and saw Logan.

" So, Logan… We live to fight another day…"

Logan nodded slowly. He was sure that there would be much tougher fights ahead. He looked around to see the kids celebrating. Scott and Jean were in their arms, and so was Piotr and Kitty.

The transport craft landed near the HQ, and they all walked out. Before doing anything, Alex handed out the bracelets again, then joined Rogue.

" How do you feel? Scared? Glad? What?"

Rogue leaned back against the wall, and sat down. She took the last gulp of water, then looked at Alex.

" Honestly? Ah was scared… As soon as Ah got outta da buildin' though… Ah was glad dat it was over…"

Alex smirked.

" Me too…"

He sat next to Rogue, and took out his cigar. He placed it between his teeth, and looked back at Rogue and saw her hands shaking.

" I'll tell you from experience… You'll have nightmares over this… It'll go away, but try not to get killed meanwhile…"

Rogue closed her eyes, and began to sleep. Alex smiled, and walked into the HQ.

" Captain! It was a fine job you did. Congratulations!"

Without any word, Alex walked to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup. He drank the dark brown liquid without any sugar or milk.

" General… You should have sent us some support. We got lucky this time, that's all…"

The general's smile disappeared, then led Alex to the map.

" We've taken back most of the city. We're going to push them back now. The battalion that you just decimated was the last ones that were left in the city. You and your men get some rest. The regular troops will take care of it now. Fortunately, the most of the citizens hid in the sewers throughout the whole battle."

Alex saluted the general, and walked out of the HQ. He saw Rogue still asleep, and woke her up.

" Rogue… Rogue…"

Rogue's green eyes looked up at Alex, and saw the cup he was holding.

" It's coffee. Sorry, but there's no sugar nor milk…"

Rogue took a sip, then handed it back to Alex.

" Sorry, Ah'm not much of a coffee person, sir…"

Alex took his seat next to Rogue again. This time, Remy came up.

" Chere, you okay? Chere look very tired…"

Rogue smirked.

" If yah know, den don't boder meh… Let meh sleep…"

Rogue closed her eyes again, and soon, she fell back to sleep. Remy took a seat next to Alex. He looked around for a while then spoke.

" Remy thinks capitan likes chere, non?"

Alex lowered the cup, and looked at Remy's red eyes.

" I don't know… Why don't you tell me?"  
Remy smiled.

" Remy think so."

Alex took the last sip of coffee and put the cup down on the floor.

" I see…"

Alex looked at Kitty down the stairs. She was having fun with Piotr, and Scott was with Jean. Ororo, on the other hand, was talking with Logan. He didn't know about what, but it seemed like a fairly important subject. He looked around for a while, then looked down at Rogue. He smirked, then closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep for some reason. He thought that may be he could see his Jenny again even though it may just be a dream. Closed his eyes and tried to block the shouts and other distractions from his mind. His breathing became shallow, and finally he fell asleep.

------

Alex found himself in the city not unlike the one he had just helped to liberate. He walked around the city blocks without seeing anyone. His wondering had finally ended when he heard footsteps behind him.

' Lieutenant Bradford!'

Alex turned around, and saw his old teammates. He saw someone who looked like Jenny amongst the crowd. His hazel eyes brightened up with joy, then ran towards her.

' Jenny!'

He arrived at the woman and saw Rogue instead of Jenny. His surprise was augmented by Rogue's voice.

' Captain…'

Alex's eyes fluttered about, then he felt a shake.

" Captain."

Alex opened his eyes, and saw Rogue looking at him with a warm smiled.

" Da general wants us to go towards da rear and rest. Da transport's here."

Alex looked towards where Rogue had pointed, and got up slowly.

" Damn, how long have I've been sleeping?"

Rogue looked at her watch and smiled.

" Four hours…"

Alex looked at his watch and sighed.

" You should have woken me up sooner…"

Rogue offered her hand, and Alex grabbed it. With her support, he got up and dusted himself. He saw the other members of his team already waiting for him at the hatch. He sat down, and fastened himself to the seat. The pilot looked back, and smiled.

" Well, Captain Bradford… I heard what you guys did. Nice job! Don't know if anyone else could have pulled it off like you did…"

Alex smiled, as he looked back.

" Thanks, chief!"

The pilot looked back, and smiled.

" So those are the mutants who helped you?"

Alex shook his head.

" No, they're the ones who done it. I just helped organizing things."

Pilot instructed the co-pilot to take control, and walked to the back.

" Sir, we had a message from the ones who took the other one. They say he'll make full recovery within a week or so."

Alex nodded as he received the paper message. He read through it, and shoved it in his pocket.

" Thanks, chief."

They continued to fly for about an hour before the transport craft landed in a small airfield. When it landed, the pilot flipped numerous switches to turn the engines, and opened the hatch. When the hatch finally came down, the pilot cut the power on the aircraft. He and the co-pilot unhooked their straps and walked towards the rear bay. Alex and the mutants freed themselves of the safety straps and got out as well. Rogue stretched her arms and sighed in joy. The others shared the same sentiments.

" Well, like, I'm glad that's over with…"

Piotr smiled and looked at Kitty.

" Me too…"

Remy saw the blonde women and whistled.

" Remy like this place a lot!"

Alex smirked, and took off his helmet. He looked around and found a bar. He thought of entering, but decided against it.

' You don't know when you'll be called up again…'

Rogue headed towards the barrack that had the temporary plate with '3rd Platoon' painted on. The girls also headed that way, which baffled the guys.

" What the?"

Alex followed the girls. He knew what they were thinking of.

" Well, Mr. LeBeau. You don't think those women will be attracted to stinky men, do you? Pepe Le Pew wasn't very popular with women…"

Remy smirked, and followed Alex to the barracks. The others followed as well. When they entered the barracks, they found that each of them had their own rooms, and separate showers along with it. The girls already found their rooms near the spot overlooking the ocean, so the guy grumbled and got to the ones looking at the insides of the base. Rogue threw her gear near the bed, and started taking off the smelly uniform. She threw them on the floor, and wrapped herself with a large towel. She entered the showers and washed herself down with warm water.

" Ha…"

She liked the clean felling she got as the dirt and sweat washed away. She turned the water off, and came out. She dried her short hair and then looked at her rucksack that she refilled with things she first placed in. She dressed herself and hung the towel on the doorknob, and opened the window. She heard the splashes of the waves crashing against itself not far away, and sighed. She put her old uniform in the bag, and tied it. She also took out her rifle, and looked at the chamber. She had just begun checking it when she heard a knock.

" Come'in!"

She saw Wanda, and the other girls excluding Ororo. They smirked, and came in.

" Hey, you want to go to the club? There's one in the base not far from here."

Rogue shook her head.

" Naw… Ah'd rather clean dis rifle first…"

The other girls smiled and went off.

" Okay, suit yourself…"

Rogue had just stripped the rifle when Sgt. Morris came in.

" Hi."

Rogue looked up, and quickly stood up.

" Sergeant!"

Sgt. Morris returned the salute, and came in.

" I got a question for you, private…"

Rogue nodded.

" Ask, sarge."

Sgt. Morris took a seat on the floor in front of Rogue, and sighed.

" I was wondering why you guys don't use your powers much… I mean, are we getting in your way? Or is it that you're uncomfortable showing them to the others? Frankly I expected to see all of you use more of your powers…"

Rogue stopped cleaning her weapon and sighed.

" Ah can't speak for everyone, but Ah'm hesitant to use it… Not that it helps a lot… Ah feel like mah mutation's nothin' compared to what de oders have… As far as Ah know, Scott can't kill dose aliens with his rays, though it may take some time… Jean… Ah don't know about her… Only one Ah know who can actually kill dem usin' deir powers' Mr. Logan… Besides, we haven't had chances to practice our skills so far…"

Just then, Alex came in. He nodded as he took casual steps inside.

" You want to know why? Rogue?"

Rogue nodded. Frankly she had no idea why they'd thaw them out to just use guns.

Alex sighed.

" We never had mutants for a century. So we just don't have any model concept to command them. The brass thinks that your use of abilities might start to give you guys 'ideas' as they put it… If they had their way, you all will be wearing bracelets even while fighting. We also don't know much about how you guys trained… Hell, I didn't even know just exactly how you guys could use your abilities. Before today, I didn't have a clue to how to use your abilities. Here's what I have in mind, if you don't mind me telling you about it. I asked Jean about hers, and she said that she couldn't enter those aliens' minds. She did say that she felt their presence though so I'm thinking alien seeking radar type of thing. So Wanda and Jean can provide defensive barrier when the need arrises. Scott, and Remy well… They could probably be the only guys who can still cover us even if we run out of ammo. Logan… I don't know how to use him yet. Storm can probably be more of a use when we fight outdoors, but that won't happen much until we reach the central Americas or move to different front. Kitty and Kurt can reduce our operation time by helping us in our maneuvers. Piotr, I think won't be much of help with his abilities. Lance might double as demolition specialist in city battles. Pietro could be used as recon guy, but I'd wanna see more of self control before that happens. Who does that leave? Yeah… Pyro can be of help if we run out of ammo as well… Gee… forgot about him… Fred, I don't have anything in my mind yet. Finally, you… I think you could help me by giving me intelligence…"

Rogue looked at Alex curiously.

" How? Ah can't read deir minds."

Alex sighed.

" But you can take some of it. I know you'll be risking to have some alien consciousness in your mind, but the choice is yours."

Rogue thought about it for a while, then became angered.

" So yah want us to use more of our abilities? Frankly, Ah don't know how Ah'd deal with an alien thought in mah head. Ah have enough trouble with humans, and what makes yah think Ah'd want some alien on top of it?!"

Alex smiled as he saw Rogue angry. He chuckled for a while, then laughed. Rogue became more angry and fiercely stared at him.

" What's so funny?"  
Alex stopped laughing after a moment, then spoke.

" Truthfully my original order was to do just that. You were to be trained as mutants with your abilities and released like hounds to the opportunities where your abilities were needed, and that was the sole purpose of your deal. However, I thought it best that you all learn how the humans, no… how I fight. You know when and how to use your abilities better than anyone can. I know that you'll all will use your abilities when the time comes. Besides, I know there's limitation to what you can accomplish with your abilities, otherwise you would have defeated the soldiers sent to capture you… I thought that I'd fill in that gap, and may be let you guys survive through it all. My personal belief, and Sgt. Morris here agrees that when you mutants use your abilities to much, it will become more difficult for you to integrate into the society when you will be treated. Therefore I suggested to the brass the hush-hush policy that we have right now. I will let you guys practice your abilities when there's such occasion that allow it, but I'm worried that if you use your gifts too much it might jeopardize your chances to be accepted even when you become cured. Those bastards up in the pyramid would cut you guys loose in a flash when they feel that their power, their position is threatened. I'm going to limit your exposure so there's not much of that chance. You guys will not be a scapegoats for them."

Rogue smiled. She didn't know that Alex was thinking that far ahead. The war had just begun for the mutants, and she was pretty sure they weren't thinking much of what would happen afterwards, but this captain was thinking about it. He was indeed, among the only four humans in the world she knew that gave a damn about the mutants. Her eyes began sparkling with tears, and Sgt. Morris got up.

" I'll be out to see how the others behave, sir."

With that, the gray haired man left. Alex smiled, and offered his handkerchief.

" I must be a terrible guy, making you cry…"

Rogue wiped her tears, and handed the piece of cloth back to Alex. He held it in his hand for a while, then pocketed it. He saw that Rogue's green eyes still appeared as if the tears would fall again anytime soon. He took out the handkerchief again and handed it to Rogue.

" Give it back to me when you feel that you're ready to give it back…"

Alex got up, and walked to the door. He opened it partially, then turned back.

" I heard that the mess hall's serving roast beef tonight. Which makes me wonder… Where are the other female soldiers? I saw Ororo leaving for dinner, and you're here…"

Rogue got up, and straightened her clothes.

" Dey went to da club, sir. Ah think dey want to blow off some steam…"

Alex smiled, and left the room. He turned to his room, and entered it. He changed into his civvies and started to write reports. He brought up the program, and started to type away in his keyboards.

' Insertion point was selected badly… No support given during mission… One wounded, expected to make full recovery in one week. Need better intelligence on what the enemy was doing with the captured hostages…'

He finished his report and sent it through the network. He opened the door to get something to eat when he saw Rogue in her civvies as well.

" Well, you finally found some clothes, huh?"

Rogue smiled.

" Ah went to da shop in da base… Didn't have what Ah was lookin' for, but got somethin' similar to it."

Alex's lips curled up to a smile, then advanced to a grin, then he started to laugh quietly.

" Somethin' wrong, sir?"

Alex pointed to the black clothes that Rogue wore.

" That's for men. I mean the men wear that usually. There are some women who wear it too, but the women usually wear skirts…"

Rogue scratched her head as she smiled.

" So dat's why da store owner though Ah was crazy…"

Alex smiled, and led Rogue outside.

" Let's get something to eat before they're out."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first mission is a success. What were the aliens doing to the humans? Will their time at the rear area be shortened by some crisis?

Natural( ) wanted to know the names of the members of the 3rd(Mutant) Platoon. Here it is...

Team members are:

1st Squad: Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Rogue, Piotr, Remy, Wanda, Lance, CO Capt. Alex Bradford

2nd Squad: Kurt Wagner, Logan, Kitty, Ororo Monroe, Pietro, Fred, Pyro, Sgt. Robert Morris

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	7. Chapter 7

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is **Alternate Universe**.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rogue and Alex arrived at the mess hall, and got their share of the beef. They sat together on the table and quietly ate their meal. Alex finished eating his first tray and went for seconds. Rogue finished hers and drank the water. The meal was very nice due to the fact that she was really hungry after running through the hundred floors. Alex looked at Rogue and then placed some of his second serving on her tray.

" You look hungry."

Rogue smiled and ate the food that Alex had gave. She looked at Alex.

" So what do yah think dey were doin' with dose hostages?"

Alex sighed.

" I don't know… But looking at that one that attacked Lance, I'd say some kind of experimentation. I don't know what, but I think they were trying to assimilate their species with ours."

Rogue shuddered as she remembered the woman she shot. She was surprised at how she just 'reacted' rather than thinking whether to shoot or not. They finished their meals and got out of the mess hall. Alex looked around then took out his 'cigar' again. He bit down on it and smirked.

" Well, shall we go to the club to see what the others are doing?"

Rogue shrugged.

" Whatever yah say, sir."

They entered the club and saw many people dancing on the floor. The mutants were dancing in the middle of the floor, and some of the men from the 4th Platoon of the 2nd Corp, 3rd division, 4th battalion, Alpha company were looking at them with contempt. Alex saw their commanding officer, 1st Lieutenant Gregory Robert Mason.

" Lieutenant."

Lt. Mason saluted.

" Captain."

Alex smirked.

" I'm out of the uniform, lieutenant. You don't have to salute me."

Lt. Mason smiled.

" So, I hear that you're the CO of the 'Mutant Platoon', sir. How'd that happen?"

Alex sat behind the table next to them with Rogue. He pulled out the metallic tube and smiled.

" Politics."

The 4th Platoon became puzzled.

" Sir?"

" Actually I enjoy it. I got more firepower at my disposal than company commander. The men under my command…"

A corporal under Lt. Mason commented.

" Sir, did you just say your 'men'? These are fucking mutants, sir…"

Alex's smile quickly disappeared.

" Watch what you're saying, corporal. They're under my command, and I'll call them whatever I wish to call them by."

The same corporal saw Rogue.

" So, who is this, sir?"

Alex leaned closer.

" She's one of mine, Private Rogue…"

Rogue didn't salute, which prompted some disgust from the members of the 4th, but they couldn't do anything. She was not in uniform, and therefore the rank didn't matter anymore.

" So I heard that you guys shot a hostage today, captain… What happened?"

Rogue's stomach churned at the tone in which they asked the question. She kept her silence, however.

" I think the damned bastards were doing some experiment with them. One of the hostages had alien stuff on her. I don't exactly know what happened, but she attacked one of my men, and 'I' took her out. If you think we should have saved her, you're welcome to try on your mission, but don't tell me how to fight, sergeant…"

The sergeant from the 4th immediately became silent. Just then Sgt. Morris joined in.

" Hey, captain. You finished putting reports, sir?"

Alex nodded, and leaned back. He ordered a round of soda, and sat quietly.

The members of the 4th went off to attract their share of the girls with their uniforms, and 'charm' that emitted from it. Sgt. Morris looked at them and scoffed.

" Kids…"

Alex smirked.

" That they are…"

Sgt. Morris smirked also.

" No disrespect, but you're still a kid also, sir."

Alex chuckled.

" I am, aren't I? Well…"

Alex got up, and trashed the tube in the trashcan, and stood up.

" Well, Rogue… I guess we should be kids as well…"

Rogue looked at Alex puzzled, then saw the crowd in the dance floor.

" Sorry, sir. But Ah'd rather watch…"

Alex smiled.

" Okay. I won't force you to do anything. Just come down when you feel like it."

Alex walked to the dance floor shaking his body playfully. When he disappeared into the crowd, Sgt. Morris chuckled.

" He sure knows when to relax…"

Rogue looked at Sgt. Morris.

" So why aren't yah joinin'em?"

Sgt. Morris chuckled again.

" Me? Come on, do you really think they'd want an old fart like me? I'm twice their age… I just remind them of their father or something like that. No, I'm content with being here. So why aren't you going?"

Rogue drank a cup of soda, and sighed.

" Ah can't dance… Ah never learned to dance 'cause of mah mutation."

Sgt. Morris looked at Rogue's eyes and smirked.

" But you want to, right? I can see it."

Rogue saw Kitty and Jean just dancing their hearts out with the boys. She sighed, then saw Wanda coming towards her.

" Can I join you two?"

Sgt. Morris nodded.

" Go ahead."

Wanda sat down and drank her soda. Sgt. Morris sighed and looked at her.

" So what's your story? Why aren't you dancing?"

" It got boring…"

The three gazed at the people dancing to the beat. Alex emerged out of the crowd and joined them.

" Whew!"

He drank the soda, and calmed himself down. He looked up towards the TV and saw the latest news.

" The Earth Alliance Army has finally held off the alien attacks in New Los Angeles. The 2nd Corp is now pushing them down south…"

Alex scoffed.

" Wait a week. They'll be pushed back up north…"

Rogue became confused.

" What do yah mean?"

Sgt. Morris took over.

" Well, we've pushed them south like this numerous times now. They always managed to push back up north. I just hope that it happens later than usual."

They were joined by everyone else.

" Hey, you came down here too? Finally!"

" You want to dance, chere?"

Rogue shook her head.

" No. Ah don't wanna dance…"

Kitty sat with Piotr and smiled.

" He's, like, quite a dancer."

Piotr became somewhat embarrassed.

" I just manage to keep up with your pace Katusha…"

Jean looked at the TV and sighed.

" So are we going down south next time?"

Alex shook his head.

" Don't worry… Within two weeks, they'll come back up. That's how it was six months ago, then four months ago, and a month ago…"  
Logan sighed.

" Stalemate…"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah. I've requested rest until Private Lance is back. Oh, by the way. I forgot to mention this. Sergeant Morris. You're to report to OCS California at 1300 two days from now. You'll be an officer when you graduate…"

Sgt. Morris became perplexed.

" I thought my request was clear that I didn't want to be an officer…"

Alex sighed.

" Well, you've served in the Security force and military for nearly twenty years… It's time for you to become an officer and lead some men so that they don't die… Don't worry, sergeant… I'm sure you'll do fine…"

Sgt. Morris sighed.

" That means I won't be with these kids anymore, sir…"

Alex shook his head.

" You'll still be my executive officer. I waited until you became a lieutenant because I didn't want some pompous jackass from some office come here and second guess everything we're doing here…"

Sgt. Morris nodded.

" Thank you, sir."

------

Rogue walked to her room when the sun had set. She finished cleaning her rifle, and laid on the bed. She sighed then closed her eyes to go to sleep. She saw the red dot on top of the woman she shot, and the blood splattering behind her. Rogue's eyes opened, and sighed.

' Holy, shit!'

Rogue breathed deeply a couple of times, then closed her eyes again. She finally fell asleep peacefully. Alex and the others came back later than Rogue. The men entered Logan's room for some card games, and other things while the girls sat for a chat in Ororo's room. Kitty began.

" God, Piotr was such a good dancer… I mean, like, you wouldn't know by looking at his bulk…"

Jean smiled.

" Yeah. He does move quite swiftly…"

Wanda sighed. She was the only one who didn't know the others well. She spoke nervously.

" Did you see Pietro? He really had it coming when he got smacked by that girl…"

The others laughed.

" Yup."

Their chatter continued and meanwhile, the boys in Logan's room had moved onto talking about their day. Capt. Bradford was the only one who called it quits and went back to his room. He wanted to get some sleep, and get some of the alcohol that was accumulated in his body. He sat on his bed, and looked at the small photo that he had of Jenny. He kissed it gently and placed it back in his vest.

' Thanks, Jenny…'

He was about to go to sleep when the computer in his room chirped quietly. He opened the mail that came and read the long text. It was the autopsy report of the woman who had alien thing on her.

' Initial finding… Victim had an alien device or other object attached down her spinal area… Whatever that was there had made the backbone melt away and leave the body without backbone… Appears that this was the case in all of the alien bodies recovered through the battle. Some kind of device, or even a creature is attached to the backbones of these aliens and dissolves some time after the body dies. Upon further chemical analysis, the interaction between the melted compound and human cells results in spontaneous explosion…'

Alex cursed under his breath.

" Son of a bitch…"

He clicked print and then closed the file, destroying it permanently in the electronically can of garbage. He looked at the hard copies again, and sighed. He placed it on the table, and laid on the bed. He then began wondering about whether to tell the others or not. It seemed like a insignificant information, but he didn't know whether he should tell them anyways. He was sure that the scientists would be working for a treatment for such scenario. He began worrying if such a device or whatever it was would affect his men. He sighed, then closed his eyes. He heard the others going back to their rooms, and finally began to sleep. They had a lot more training to do. Their last mission was a success that was completely unexpected. They had no proper training of numerous rehearsals, but they pulled it off. He didn't want to rely on such luck anymore. He was sure that they'll need it later on.

Rogue woke up from her sleep as the sunlight came straight into her eyes. She shielded them with her hands, and looked outside, and sighed with a smile.

' Nice day…'

She got out, and changed to her uniform, and walked out. She saw Alex coming out of his room at the end of the hall. He walked out of the barracks with Rogue. They didn't speak to each other for a while. During that time, they stretched and ran around the base perimeter. After they stopped in front of the barracks, they performed other PT routines such as sit ups and push ups. They weren't required to do so because of the one week of the wait for Lance. When they finally finished their PT, Alex spoke first.

" Had a nice dream?"

Rogue smiled.

" Yes, sir…"

Alex smiled, then looked back at the barracks.

" I guess they're all sleeping…"

He went inside, and began screaming.

" Get up! Get up!"

He began banging each doors to get his men up. When they emerged with their uniforms on, he smiled.

" Sgt. Morris… Take these sleepy heads out to wake up run and a PT. Private Rogue. You'll stay."

Sgt. Morris led fourteen men including himself out to a morning 3 mile run. Alex sat on the stairs leading into the barracks and sighed, letting out a puff of cloud in the cold morning air.

" Get your gears, private. We'll conduct some training."

With that, he went into the barracks. Rogue followed, and grabbed all of her gear that she had just washed. Alex came out with his as well. Rogue stood against the side of the barrack and looked at her weapons. She made sure that each of them had their chambers empty and safeties on. Alex waited for his men while he secretively looked at Rogue. Of course, he didn't know why he was looking at her even though it was quite clear to him that she didn't want any relationship with him. He looked to the right and saw the others arriving in a nice group. When they stopped, he ordered all of them to grab their gears and form up. Within five minutes, everyone came out with rifles slung over, and their helmets on and ready. Alex watched them for a moment to see how they thought. Most of them seemed to be very confident, bordering on the line of being cocky just after one battle. He needed to fix it.

" Yesterday's combat wasn't something that we've trained hard on. However, we still got the job done. You may all think that you are confident that you can do it again. Well let me tell you boys and girls… Private Lance is injured and that should not have happened! Yesterday's success was mostly luck working in conjunction with the basic training! Well, I'm not going to rely on such luck… At least not yet… We'll train harder than anyone else so that we won't need luck. We still have a lot of things to cover. If you feel that you know everything, then let me wake you up, ladies and gentlemen. You still don't know anything…"

Everyone stood at attention. However, most of them felt offended as their commanding officer berated them even after success. Alex led everyone to the shooting range, ordering them to practice shooting. However, he ordered everyone to stand with their backs facing the target. They were to turn around, and quickly double tap the target. He demonstrated to everyone by standing with his back facing one of the targets, and then swiftly, but smoothly spinning on his left foot all the while raising his rifle. Just as his right foot stopped the spinning motion, he quickly fired two shots to the head of the paper target. He looked at the others.

" I want both speed and accuracy. Begin!"

With that, Alex walked off to clear the way for the others. Many of them stumbled as they turned around. Some lost their balance momentarily, and some couldn't shoot accurately. Some, on the other hand, were turning too slowly for Alex' liking. He saw that Logan and Piotr were doing quite well despite the fact that their weapons were not designed for such occasion. They took time getting their sights aligned, but it was barely noticeable. He looked at Remy who was finally getting hang of his aim in combination with his spin. He saw that Scott and Jean were doing things perfectly. He finally saw Rogue doing things almost perfectly. The shots were pretty much striking the same place each time, and her movement wasn't half bad. He then saw her elbow sticking out to the side. He walked up to her, and commented.

" Tuck in your elbow. Have it point to the floor rather than to the side."

Rogue did so, and found the movement a bit more smoother.

" Thank yah, sir…"

Alex continued his observation, and pointed out various things. After a full day long training, everyone came back to the barracks exhausted. They all showered, and went to sleep as quickly as they could. Alex smirked as he inspected each rooms, but found Rogue wide awake, cleaning her rifle and pistols yet again. He got out with a smirk.

' She's gonna make a fine soldier, and a leader probably…'

He also found Scott and Jean doing something else, like reading. They were reading up on the events in the database through their computers. He noted the developments of his men and went back to his room. He cleaned his guns and found it very late in the night. He decided to postpone the training schedule a day. He got into the bed, and went to sleep as quickly as he could.

------

Everyone slept in the next day. Alex himself didn't wake up until near noon. Rogue was the first one up. She got on the computer and began looking through the database, this time more thoroughly. She looked up Magneto and Mystique. She found out that the two had been hiding for a bit longer than anyone, but was caught later. They were put in trial, then sentenced to death for being mutants. She looked up the charges, and among other things were murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to overthrow the government and other things. She sighed, and leaned back. The Brotherhoods would have surely accessed this info by now, and she didn't pay much attention again. She then looked for any known facts about these aliens they were fighting. She read up on the report about their technology which seemed both primitive and advanced at the same time. These aliens didn't use any apparent metallic technology. Everything looked biological. Their spacecraft also looked biological. However, their advancement in using anything related to electricity was astonishing. She then wondered how they had known Earth at all.

' Outta billions and billions of planets, why dis one?'

She logged off, and let out a long sigh. They didn't know much about these aliens. So far, they sounded like how the people treated the mutants. She thought for a moment that there could be peace somehow, but then she shook the thought away. These aliens didn't kill and experiment on all those people just to make peace later on. They seemed to be bent on wiping them out. She then read the reports suggesting their use of Antarctic as a staging area, as well as the result of the autopsy on the woman she shot to end her life. Adding the facts from the other reports that there were no survivors nor remains found while scanning the occupied territory, things were becoming much more scarier than her first impression when she just heard about these invaders. She cast her thoughts aside as she heard a noise outside. She poked her head out to find Sgt. Morris fully dressed in uniform and his belongings.

" Where're yah goin' sarge?"

Sgt. Morris smiled.

" To OCS. I've got to say I'll miss all of you while I'm there…"

He looked back at the barracks, then walked away quietly. Rogue sighed then went back to her room. She took a long bath when she heard the others now starting to wake up. She ignored the ruckus as they all went out for brunch. She didn't feel like eating today for some reason. She wanted to just sit around and rest. She sighed as the hot water relaxed her muscles. The relaxation and the better blood circulation that resulted from the warm bath made her feel good. She looked down at her feet which was in very good condition despite the fact that she pretty much wore combat boots all day since she entered boot camp. She expected her feet to start to itch and smell, but that wasn't the case. She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Just then someone knocked on the door, and she tensed up.

" Who's it?"

After some moment of silence, she heard the reply.

" It's me, Alex. Can I come in, Rogue?"

Rogue panicked, and tried to get the curtains. The water splashed about, and Alex froze.

' Damn it… She's taking a bath…'

He unknowingly smelled himself to check. He didn't smell as he thought he would, and sighed.

' Whew…'

Rogue got herself wrapped around with towel and poked her head out of the door.

" Sir?"

Alex was in his civvies, and smiling.

" Sorry, Rogue… I was just checking if you went out to eat with the others."

Rogue shook her head.

" Ah'm not hungry."

Alex stared at the floor for a while, then looked back up.

" Listen, uh… I'm going out of the base to buy some things… You need anything?"

" No… Not dat Ah can think of anyways…"

Alex nodded and left the barracks, leaving Rogue alone in the building. She went back into the tub, and leaned back. She closed her eyes and slept once again.

While the members of the 3rd Platoon were taking some time off in the rear, back in the White House situation room deep underneath the surface the top members of the government began formulating and evaluating the plans. President Bradford sat behind the oval table with the others, and gazed at the holographic image of the current situation. While they had succeeding in pushing back the enemy in the North American front, the African front had been breeched. The aliens had advanced far north as the state border of Egypt and Sudan. He contemplated at the situation when a new report prompted the imagery to change the red zone, meaning the occupied territory, about twenty miles into the Egyptian state border. He sighed, and looked around. The defense minister also looked dire as well.

" What do you suggest?"

" Mr. President… I believe we should send the Mutant Platoon, and a division into Egypt… We need to hold them back before they reach the Sinai… If they break through that point, they'll be free to flank us from the west on the Asian front. Worse, they may head to Europe where most of our military prototype weapons are being developed. We can't let them do that."

The president thought about it for a while.

" I see… How is that platoon anyways?"

" I understand, Mr. President, that they rescued the hostages held up in New Los Angeles, and played pivotal part in wiping out the spearheads of the alien invasion in the North American front."

The president closed his eyes. He thought for a while, almost to the point that he was making his ministers worry whether he was alive or not. He opened his eyes and sighed.

" Okay. Send them in as soon as possible. If they need replacement, then send some from the other units. We'll push them south at a steady and even pace. Mean time, I want the other units to hold their lines at all costs!"

With that, President Bradford left the room, leaving the Defense Minister to issue orders.

" Return 3rd Platoon, 7th Corp, 5th Special Forces Division, 8th battalion, Delta company to combat status. They will be sent to African front in 36 hours, along with 147th Mechanized Division."

The lower staff member nodded, and sent a fax of the order to the San Francisco base, where those units were resting.

------

Rogue had just finished getting dressed after her long bath when she heard the knocking on the doors to the barrack. She opened it and saw a sergeant.

" Where's Captain Bradford?"

Rogue stammered.

" Sorry, sergeant… He went out of base at da moment…"

The sergeant nodded then looked at Rogue.

" Private, this is the order to the 3rd Platoon from the Pentagon. Give it to your CO when he's here."

As soon as he handed the orders to Rogue, the sergeant turned around and left without returning the salute. Rogue shook her head in confusion, and looked at the orders. It was prompting them to be prepped to move out to African front in 36 hours. She walked into Alex's room and placed it on his desk, and got out. She sighed, and went into her room, and looked at her gears. She had just washed them the day before, but these black web gears and dark gray uniform seemed out of place when she thought of wearing them in the desert. She sighed, and sat on the bed. All she could do was wait for the captain and the others to return.

' Africa…'

She looked at herself in the mirror, and found her hairs not yet ready for another cut. She got her rifle and looked at it to make sure that it was in proper working order. She was looking through the sights when she saw Alex with a lot of bags coming in. She got up, and poked her head out.

" Sir! Orders came from da Pentagon. It's on yahr desk, sir…"

Alex nodded, and went to his room. He opened the door and looked at the paper on the desk. It was indeed a deployment order. He read it and sighed.

' Great! Where am I going to find a replacement for Sgt. Morris and Private Lance?'

He put his bags down and looked through it. He had purchased large package of real cigars and a few Zippo lighters. It was very old compared to the current standards, but he felt somewhat mystified by looking at them. He was sure that Logan was going to have a kick out of being able to smoke a real cigar. He then brought out the sodas and went to Rogue's room.

" Hey, here's some soda. We better drink it all before we get deployed."

Rogue grabbed the can, but then looked up.

" So what happens to our uniforms? Dark gray and black doesn't really go with da desert environment…"

Alex shrugged.

" We'll get desert camo… I need to look for replacements for Sgt. Morris and Private Lance anyways… Want to come with me?"

Rogue nodded.

" Okay, sir…"

Rogue followed Alex out, and went around the barracks of the other units. First, they went to the other special ops platoons since they wanted someone with similar trainings and less likelihood of being under trained for the task. When the ones who were in the base refused, Alex went down to the regular units. He walked around the barracks, talking to the commanding officers to lend him two men, one if that was too much. The captain in charge of them flat out refused, stating that they need the men since they'll be going into the frontline soon also. Alex quietly moved on to the next barrack. This time, instead of talking to the CO, he went directly to the men who will fight with him. He offered them a temporary status as the Spec-Op soldier which could become permanent as things turn out. His offer intrigued many soldiers, but the identity of being the Mutant unit made them uneasy. Some didn't want anything to do with the mutants, while some of them didn't think that offer was good enough. Some of the others were thinking about their CO and their friends who they fought together for a year. Alex understood how they felt. He also commented that he needed two of them, which made things easier for some of them. After a moment of silence, two soldiers volunteered.

" Sir! We'd like to volunteer, sir!"

Alex looked at the one with medium height, black crew cut hair, and dark brown eyes.

" What's your name, soldier?"

" Sir! Medical Specialist, Corporal Charles Hodges, sir!"

Alex took notice of Corporal Hodges. He knew that they needed a medical specialist since he was busy doing all the commanding. Corporal Hodges was someone he really needed at the moment. He looked at the other one who was tallest of the ones he's seen so far with crew cut brown hair, and also brown eyes.

" What's your name?"

" Sir! Heavy Weapons specialist, Corporal Erik Johnson, sir!"

Alex looked at him.

" Tell me, Corporal Johnson… Why would I want a heavy weapons specialist?"

It was a question in which he wanted to get a feel for this corporal. Frankly, he didn't need a heavy weapons specialist. The 3rd Platoon was a light infantry unit, which didn't require heavy weapons at all, but Alex had a feeling that they would require such person soon. He didn't wait long for the corporal's answer.

" Sir! That's more shits for me to blow up, sir!"

Alex smirked.

" Well, I like your enthusiasm. Get your gears and weapons, then follow Private Rogue here to the front of the 3rd Platoon barracks. I'll go talk with your CO."

Rogue saluted the two men, and led them out of the barracks. She saw their gears and became surprised at the load that Corporal Johnson was carrying.

" What's all dat?"

" Rockets and mortars…"

Alex stepped into the CO of the Foxtrot Company's office. A captain who was younger than himself sat behind his desk. He saluted, which Alex returned.

" So, what can I do for you, Captain Bradford?"

Alex sat down on a chair in front of the man and smiled.

" Well, I want Corporals Johnson and Hodges transferred to my unit. I need two replacements and they volunteered."

The younger captain became surprised, in fact, he seemed really angry.

" I'm sorry, Alex… I can't do that."

Alex sighed.

" They volunteered, and they've already packed up and headed towards my barracks. Your company is not going back to battlefield for sometime, but my platoon is to move out of this base at 1500 tomorrow. If you're worried that they might catch something from the mutants under my command, then you can do physical on me. I haven't changed a bit. After this deployment, I'll send them back to you unless they want to stay, in which case they'll have to go through the training to be official. In any case, I need them."

The younger captain sighed.

" Don't you have a full platoon already?"

Alex sighed.

" Sergeant Morris went to OCS, and the other one's wounded. I thought I had 'til the end of this week, but I got the deployment order to African front. Listen, Sam… I'll get them back. I promise…"

The younger one sighed, then nodded.

" Alright… But I want them back without a scratch…"

Alex got up, and left with a smile. They were back in full strength now.

------

Rogue was leading the two new members to the barracks when they began asking her questions.

" So, you're a mutant?"

Rogue nodded.

" Yeah…"

Corporal Johnson rubbed his chin.

" She looks normal… I thought the mutants looked well… Mutated…"

Corporal Hodges sighed.

" Some do. Some have super-human abilities. So, private… what's your ability?"

Rogue sighed. She really didn't want to answer.

" Ah… Ah can absorb oder's abilities and memories for a while…"

Corporal Hodges let out a noise suggesting his curiosity.

" Hm… That's certainly special… Anyways, how many girls are there?"

Rogue looked back.

" Huh?"

" How many girls are in the 3rd Platoon?"

Rogue sighed. Most men couldn't think beyond their hormones whether they were mutants or not.

" Five, includin' meh… Two's already in relationship if dat's what yahr lookin' for…"

Rogue saw the barracks and her friends in front of the building. She stopped in front of them, and waited for Captain Bradford. Before they could speak to each other, Alex came back. He explained the situation to the others and looked around for their reactions. It was apparent that they didn't like it, but there wasn't much of choice. They had to do this with these two humans otherwise their chances of success was almost zero.

" Pack your gears! We ship out in 1500 tomorrow."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-mutants are being sent to temporarily replace Sgt. Morris and Lance. Will their presence spark a flame? Will they get along?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	8. Chapter 8

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is **Alternate Universe**.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alex watched his men interacting with Corporals Johnson and Hodges. He knew that the transition would be very difficult for them, and that there will be some heavy friction. He would have preferred to have a joint training, but there wasn't much time. He inspected each rooms to see to it that their new desert camouflage was in correct measurements and such. He got everyone out in their gears as the deployment hour approached. He threw them cans of spray paints for camouflaging their weapons. He began painting the desert pattern to the weapon, and let the others do the same. He walked to Logan, and smiled.

" Private Logan… Here…"

He took out a couple of real cigars and handed them to Logan with a Zippo lighter. Logan smiled.

" Thank you, sir…"

Alex then whispered into his ears.

" You'll be acting as my XO until Sgt. Morris comes back. I already recommended you as a replacement for him anyways, so don't feel obligated."

With that, Alex inspected the camo job on the others. He nodded with approval at each of the weapons was painted to blend in with the desert environment.

" Okay, we'll do some maneuver training for Corporals Johnson and Hodges… Let's move out."

Everyone walked to the training ground, and stopped for a moment. From there, they practiced virtually every maneuver that they knew. As they finished up the exercise, they moved on to the mock up of an office building. They formed up just like they did back in the New Los Angeles. The four teams augmented by the fifth team of heavy weapons people cleared up room, and got used to each others habits. Alex noticed that both Erik and Charles's movements were a bit slower than the rest. He brought them out of the building and began speaking to them.

" I can see you know what you're doing. I didn't know you guys were trained for this…"

Erik Johnson smiled.

" Well, I played a lot of games of this, so I know the general idea, sir."

Charles Hodges also nodded.

" Me too, sir."

" Okay… I just want you guys to move a little faster. I know that you never had to do this room clearing since you joined the service so I won't gripe about it. Hell! You're doing hell of a lot better than some of the others I know… In this business, speed kills. Think both speed and accuracy."

With that, Alex patted the two on their shoulders and sent them back. He oversaw their movements again and again, and finally felt it satisfactory. He didn't know what kind of mission they'll have once they reported to African front, but he knew it would involve outdoor movements. Africa was one of the few remaining areas in Earth that hadn't been covered with cities of concrete buildings reaching the sky as if trying to pierce it. It was mainly an agricultural area. He also understood the concern of the brass above. They didn't want the aliens to cross into the Middle East. He knew that it wasn't the oil. The Earth had already depleted the old, archaic source of energy, but it could become a staging area for the invasion of Europe or even a flanking maneuver into Asia. He recalled everyone to come out, then looked at the papers. It was the evaluation of everyone's shooting performances, including the two newcomers. He needed a sharp shooter and he had to decide who. He looked at the competitive score on Logan, Rogue, Cpl. Johnson, and Sgt. Morris. He knew that he had to wait for Sgt. Morris so he was out of the choice, and Cpl. Johnson had enough to carry already. His final decision had to be made between Logan and Rogue. He knew that Logan would be able to carry the additional weight of the heavier sniper rifle but Alex felt that he needed that the machine gunner needed to carry heavy load of ammo. He then thought about Rogue. She had a lot of characteristics to be a sniper for his unit, both in independence and marksmanship, but somewhere in his mind, he didn't want to see her as a sniper. He wanted her near by, not far away from him.

' Damn it, Alex! Don't let personal feelings get in the way!'

He called up Rogue, and handed a large rifle, bigger than the M-3A1 that she was carrying.

" Private Rogue, you're now the platoon's sniper. You'll carry this along with your weapons."

Rogue grabbed the sniper rifle and became surprised at its weight. She looked at the side of it and saw the stamping.

' M-33SP2 Sniper Weapon System, huh?'

She inspected it and found it similar in shape to the machine guns that Logan and Piotr were carrying, but she found the barrel larger in diameter.

" That's 7mm… You'll have to carry a separate ammo for it…"

Rogue sighed, then got the magazines for the rifle. She shouldered the weapon and then tightened the strap. She didn't want it to hinder her movement at all. She then felt the heavy weight of the weapon and ammo for her new weapon imposed on her.

' Darn it! It's heavier dan Ah thought…'

Just then, Logan interrupted Alex.

" Sir, shouldn't I carry the weight sir? It's quite heavy…"

Alex shook his head.

" No, Logan… Rogue should be able to carry it. If not…"

Rogue looked at Alex. She saw him concerned for some reason as she was brought up as the subject of this conversation.

" …there isn't anyone else who can do the job…"

Logan dropped the subject, but he planned on speaking about it later. Rogue then sighed.

" Captain? How about Ah drop some of da explosives? Ah'll just save weight by dumping some of da frags and flash bangs…"

Alex nodded.

" Okay, hand them out to the others."

Alex then saw the watch. The plane was about to arrive soon.

" You got your gears, right? Let's go down to the airfield…"

Everyone followed Alex to the airfield where the same transport aircraft that ferried them to the New Los Angeles was waiting.

------

The plane took off towards the east. Inside the rear compartment, Rogue began looking through the weapon by stripping it down to components. She studied them methodically to get the whole blueprint in her mind, then reassembled the parts. She completed her assembly and then looked through the scope. She saw that it had a red dot on the center, and thin black lines along the horizontal and vertical axis from the red dot. She cocked the weapon by pulling on the tiny stub of metal that poked out on the ejector port on the right side of the gun above the magazine feed, and safety the weapon. The others were already trying to sleep, and she saw Alex smiling.

" Hey… What do you think of it?"

Rogue sighed.

" Ah actually don't know anythin' about snipin'…"

Alex smiled.

" Just follow my instruction, and it'll be okay…"

Rogue nodded. She leaned back against the hull, and closed her eyes to sleep. Alex saw that everyone were sleeping, then closed his eyes as well. It was going to be a long ride to Africa.

' Please don't let anything go badly…'

The pilot looked back, seeing his 'customers' sleeping in the back. His eyes scanned the area for any possible threat that was unlikely at the moment. He handed the control over to his co-pilot and stretched his legs. He stretched his whole body and yawned, which the co-pilot smiled at.

" Been a long shift huh, Joe?"

The pilot smiled.

" Yeah… How long have we've been ferrying troops today? Jesus! This one's across the Atlantic for Christ sake! What are those brass thinking?"

" Hey, chief… I think that's why we call them brass…"

The pilot chuckled.

" That's right…"

The co-pilot turned on the auto-pilot with the approval from the pilot. They took out a little canister and opened it.

" Nothing like a nice cup of coffee…"  
Just then they received a radio call from the base in East coast.

" Falcon-1, this is Command. Do you copy?"

The pilot flipped the switch on his radio.

" This is Falcon-1. Go ahead, Command."

They waited a few seconds, then came on.

" Can I speak to Sierra-45?"

The pilot acknowledged and then woke up Alex.

" Captain. Command wants to talk to you."

Alex grabbed the radio, and spoke.

" Sierra-45. Go ahead, Command."

Alex heard the voice of the General Rogers.

" Your last recruit… Toad has finally made the basic training…"

Alex sighed.

" We're on route to African front, general… I would like you to sent him to us after this mission is over."

General Rogers chuckled.

" Okay, Captain."

Alex gave the radio back to the pilot and saw everyone else awake.

" What is it, sir?"

Alex smiled.

" Well, Private Toad has finally made through the basics…"

Fred laughed.

" About time he made it!"

Wanda looked at Alex.

" So when is he joining us?"

Alex assured the members of the Brotherhood.

" He'll join us after this mission."

The two newcomers were puzzled at all the fuss that some of these mutants made at the news. It was just one more mutant, or so they thought. Rogue woke up from the ruckus and looked out the little window. They were flying over the Atlantic Ocean right now, and became relaxed at the sight of the sparkling waves underneath. Remy came over, and looked through the hole.

" Well, chere… It's really beautiful, non?"

Rogue shook her head while groaning.

" Stay away, lover boy…"

Remy smiled as he went back to his seat.

After a long stare outside, Rogue looked towards the cockpit and saw a land mass not so far away. Just then, the pilots took control of the aircraft and announced.

" Thirty minutes 'til feet dry."

They saw a large city on the coastline, and few small blips of light further in. The co-pilot sighed.

" What the fuck are they using? Nukes?"

Alex shook his head as he saw something streaking down from the sky.

" That not nuke… That's orbital bombardment!"

The pilots radically changed course, turning west towards the Sinai desert while following the coastline. The finally entered the skies above African continent. They flew in towards the Suez Canal when they heard a radio call.

" Falcon-1, where are you going? Head east to Cairo!"

The pilot looked towards where they were ordered to go. Cairo was being bombarded from the orbit.

" Are they crazy?"

Alex looked at the city. The bombardment was thinning out and pretty soon, it stopped.

" Go! Go to Cairo!"

The pilot nodded.

" Yes, captain…"

They headed in for a while then finally entered the skies above the city. All the tall buildings were burnt to ground, and rubbles littered the streets. Alex saw the mass of enemy vehicles to the southeast.

" Okay, land at the source of the call…"

Alex then saw enemy fighter coming in from southeast as well. The planes spotted them and began accelerating hard towards them.

" Shit! Strap in!"

Everyone quickly fastened themselves to their seats, and got ready. The aircraft began jinking left and right, trying to lose the pursuing fighters. The blue lightning bolts zipped by their sides as the two fighters fired upon them.

" Damn it all!"

The pilot was trying hard to lose bandits on his tail, but it was getting hard. Alex then looked at Corporal Johnson.

" Erik! You got SAMs?"

Cpl. Johnson looked at his gears and nodded.

" Just one, sir!"

" Take one of them out!"

Cpl. Johnson nodded, and got out of his seat. He took out a long tube and attached it to a little launcher mount. He shouldered the tube and nodded.

" Missile ready!"

Alex looked at the others.

" Get your oxygen mast on, and goggles! Pilot! Open the rear hatch on my command!"  
The pilot nodded and got his hand on the switch. Meanwhile, Alex strapped Cpl. Johnson with a rope and secured him to the aircraft. When he saw that everyone was secure, he turned to pilot again.

" Open it!"

The pilot pushed the button, which made the rear hatch open. The whole compartment depressurized and everyone felt like they were being sucked out for a moment. Erik looked through the sights, and acquired one of the two bandits. The speaker mounted on his helmet chirped to confirm a lock-on and he let loose the missile. The smoke came out of the rear of the tube but it quickly went out of the plane. The small missile left the perimeter of the aircraft and began tracking the target. Upon reaching a proximity preset into the computer, it detonated, destroying the target at the same time. Everyone cheered and Alex signaled the pilot to close the hatch again. Just as the pilot pushed the button, a bolt of enemy fire came into the compartment, hitting Cpl. Johnson. He screamed in pain for a short time, then fell limp on the floor. When the hatch finally closed, Cpl. Hodges rushed to his side, and began assessing his injury.

" Damn it, Erik!"

He tried to check the pulse, but the blue ray had burnt Erik's skin so badly that it cauterized. As soon as Hodges' finger touched Erik's neck, the blood leaked out, staining the floor. Charles Hodges looked up and shook his head.

" He's dead!"

Alex's hazel eyes were now without focus. He had promised his colleague, the captain of the Foxtrot company that he would get these two back without a scratch, but he failed. He then looked at his men, who were also disillusioned at seeing death. They seem to know that they could be the next one to follow him. Alex then examined the condition of Cpl. Johnson carefully. The enemy weapon seemed to have changed during the period of one year. In the earlier time, those bolts of 'lightning' as they called it didn't kill the person with one shot from it but now it had killed Erik Johnson. The things were now getting really serious.

------

With the remaining fighter still in their tail, Alex turned back to the cockpit.

" Any instruction, pilot?"

The pilot shook his head.

" No, sir. The radio call died out. I'm taking us to the Sinai desert."

Just then, Rogue protested.

" But dere's one still following' us!"

Alex sighed. For the first time during his command, he didn't know what to do. He hesitated for a while when Rogue got up after securing herself with the same rope that Erik was secured in and grabbed unguided rocket launcher from Erik's corpse. It was covered in blood, but she shouldered it

" Open da hatch!"

Alex looked at Rogue near the hatch.

" What are you doing?"  
Rogue yelled back.

" Ah'm not gonna sit here and do nothin' with dat thin' behind us!"

She got her eyes on the scope of the launcher, then hollered back once more.

" Open da hatch!"

The pilot nodded, and opened it partially. Rogue saw the alien craft still trailing them. She began timing her shot all the while both aircraft moved. After timing for what seemed like eternity, Rogue fired first rocket. It had just barely missed the aircraft by about an inch or so. She loaded up on another round, and looked at the fighter. It was moving more radically, making it harder for her to aim.

' Shit!'

Alex watched on as Rogue was trying to fire her second shot. He then remembered Scott.

" Scott! Try to shoot that thing down!"

Rogue turned around, with a smile. She saw Scott coming next to her and lowering his visor. He placed his left hand on the button to fire his red ray. As soon as Rogue let loose her second rocket, it clipped the left wing of the fighter, and it tumbled for a moment. Scott fired his ray and the red stream of light penetrated the cockpit. The fighter began spinning out of control towards the bottom. Everyone cheered once again and both Scott and Rogue got back to their seats. The pilot opened the hatch briefly to let the smoke out. He looked back and gave thumbs up with the co-pilot. Alex sat back down on his seat and then looked at Rogue with half anger, and half delight. He wanted to talk to her, but he decided to speak about it later on. However, he also became glad that Rogue was growing up as a soldier as he expected. He looked at Logan and then looked back out the front towards the horizon. The transport craft had reached the Sinai desert and to a little airfield made to support the men on the ground with air support. They landed with no problem and got out of the aircraft down the ramp. The medics came and carried Erik's body away. Logan looked at the blood on the floor and sighed.

' Damn it…'

They all stepped into the ground of fine sand. Alex led them to the base HQ to meet up with the officer in charge. They saw a colonel chewing an unlit cigar.

" What are you doing here, Captain?"

Alex explained.

" We took a casualty on the way, sir. We brought his body for his burial at home…"

The colonel sighed, then gestured him to follow along with the others. The mutants entered the map room, and the colonel began his briefing.

" While you were coming here, the bastards pushed up further north and reached Cairo. They bombarded it to hell, and this base is the only military facility between them and the Middle East. Captain, I need you and your men to set up a recon position here…"

The colonel pointed to the spot just west of Suez Canal.

" I want you to follow the enemy and report their movement. If we're all alive, you'll be extracted three days later. During that time, you may be called upon to do other duties. You can refit your load in this base…"

Alex saluted.

" Yes, sir!"

The 3rd Platoon came out of the tent and walked to the armory. They began stuffing more ammo as well as supplies. Rogue found herself an additional load-bearing gear and placed the magazines for her sniper rifle on the pouches, and got some additional grenades. She then looked around for the others and found Logan and Piotr carrying the weapons that Erik carried. The other girls went to the mess hall and filled their extra canteens with water. Alex wanted them to carry more water than usual to fit the desert environment. Alex went off to nearby computer and began writing report about their ride. He then stopped at the moment where Rogue struggled to take out the second craft. He began typing away after deciding something.

' It is recommended that Private Rogue be promoted to the rank of Corporal as well as recommended for Army Star Medal along with Corporal Erik Johnson. I also recommend that Private Rogue be considered for admission to the Officer Candidate School(OCS). Also, I am still waiting for your response on promotion of Private Logan to the rank of Sergeant…'

He finished the report quickly and sent it up to the proper authority. He then got out of the tent to see the others waiting.

" Kome on, sir!"

Alex nodded and ran to the transport helicopter that was waiting for them. He sat on the doorway next to Rogue. He looked at her for a moment, then looked away.

" What 's it, sir?"

Alex shook his head, and yelled over the loud noise of the rotors spinning.

" Nothing!"

Rogue took out her sniper rifle, and began zeroing the sight. The chopper lifted off to the air and headed back west. Alex looked back to see his men. He saw Scott and Jean reassuring each other and Piotr and Kitty murmuring a prayer with Kurt. Logan and Ororo were staring each other, and the Brotherhoods seemed a bit shocked at the events in the transport aircraft. Remy and Pyro were exchanging some jokes to lighten themselves up. He realized that they must be scared after seeing one of their team member, even though he wasn't a mutant, die must have affected them greatly. He also saw that Cpl. Hodges joined in on the prayer later. He looked back at Rogue. It was apparent that she was trying to hide her emotions, but with Alex's experienced instincts it was apparent as light in darkness. He looked again at the ground beneath him. He saw some vegetation amongst the vast desert. The pilot came on the intercom and spoke.

" ETA 3 minutes!"

They had crossed the water separating the Sinai desert and the Egypt. Soon, the chopper landed in the vegetation. The members of the 3rd Platoon poured out of the vehicle and ducked down. The chopper soon lifted off and headed east. Alex waved them to move towards the desert sand in front of the somewhat dense vegetation. He gathered his men.

" Dig in shallow into the sands. We'll have to live in there until we spot them."

The others nodded, and took out their entrenching tools. They dug a shallow hole about the size of their body and laid down. They got their fabrics that made tents out in the fields and covered their body with it. Rogue laid her sniper rifle in front of her, and made sure that her scope didn't reflect any light. She then covered herself next to Alex' position. Everyone lowered their visors to shield their eyes from the sun. They had already spread out their supplies equally in their helicopter ride so they had all the supply they needed. Alex looked through his binoculars towards the spot they expected to see the aliens approach.

------

After hours of watching the horizon, the usual boredom began to settle. Alex looked around the area and saw that the others went to the grass clumps to rest and eat. He then spoke with Rogue.

" How are you feeling? Scared at all?"

Rogue looked at Alex weirdly.

" Why do yah ask, sir?"

Alex quickly avoided Rogue's gaze.

" Nothing… Nothing really… Just that you seemed to have 'courageously' jumped to shoot down that second fighter…"

Rogue lifted her visor, then looked back at the others for a second then looked at Alex again.

" Frankly, sir… Ah was scared… Ah was so scared of death dat Ah just grabbed da rocket and went for it…"

Alex' eyebrow arched up.

" Huh?"

Rogue looked at him for a moment then looked back into her scope.

" What 's it, sir? Am Ah strange, or weird by yahr standards?"

Alex shook his head while smiling.

" No. I didn't think you were scared… The way you conducted yourself… It's something a trained professional soldier would do…"

Rogue didn't look at his direction, but kept her eyes on the horizon.

" Listen… I've recommended you for admission into the OCS. I'm sure that my instinct's correct. You have the independence to do it."

Rogue took her eye off the scope.

" Ah don't have what it takes to beh an officer! Ah can't!"

Alex shook his head.

" You have exactly what it takes to be an officer. You've been with both X-Men and Brotherhood members of this team. You also have the independence to make decisions when it counts."

Rogue looked back towards Scott's position.

" What about Scott, sir? He's been a leader for meh as X-Men…"

Alex shook his head.

" But he doesn't have the respect of the Brotherhood members. Besides, you'll be my XO at most. I'm pretty sure that you'll never be in charge of this whole group. I know that Sgt. Morris would be my XO, but it's more likely that he'll lead his own platoon…"

Rogue sighed, and then looked again into the scope. Alex paused for a while, then continued.

" Can I see you back there?"

Rogue looked towards the large clumps grass.

" Right now, sir?"

Alex shook his head.

" When our watch is over."

Rogue nodded.

" Okay, sir…"

The two kept watch until the sun began setting in front of them. Just then they were relieved by Logan and Ororo. While they got settled in the position, Rogue and Alex crawled back towards the vegetation. They hid behind it and began eating their meal after Rogue got her bracelet on. The others were getting much needed sleep before their watch. Rogue finished her meal and placed the trash back in her rucksack. Alex then gestured her to follow him.

" Sir?"

Rogue and Alex went further back towards some of the trees that were dying quite far away. Alex stood next to the trunk, and spoke quietly.

" You really want to know why I asked you whether you were scared back there? You want to know why I was watching you back in the chopper?"

Rogue didn't say anything, but Alex continued.

" It's because… It's because I was worried sick about you! You… I care for you. You understand that?"

Rogue's eyes trembled. Suddenly she had no clue as to what to say, or do. Alex took her hands and drew her closer to him. He then embraced her. Rogue's face became reddened so much that she thought her face was melting away from all the heat.

" Sir…"

Alex released her, then kissed her. When his lips separated, both he and Rogue stared at each other shocked. They both stammered, not knowing what to say. Rogue quickly stepped sideway to avoid him, and tripped on the exposed root. She began to fall when Alex caught her. Alex helped her up and quickly released his hands.

" I…I'm so sorry…"

Rogue didn't know what she was supposed to feel. After the incident in the holding area before she was frozen, she abhorred the men she saw. But here she was, kissing her commanding officer in the middle of a mission. She just couldn't think of anything at the shock from what had transpired. She walked away without any words. She just couldn't think of anything at all. On her way back, she gently touched her lips, and took her seat back behind the clump of grass.

' Mah god… What happened? Oh, Rogue… What did yah do?'

Alex came back soon after and took his seat further away from Rogue. He laid on the sand and began thinking about what he had done.

' Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Nice going, Alex! You just violated the regulation again! You didn't keep your emotions in check! Alex, you idiot!'

He knew that he had expressed his still uncertain emotion to Rogue at possibly the worst time to do it. He knew that Rogue's mind would be wondering about like his was, and therefore making the two of them ineffective to do the job at hand. He then looked at Cpl. Hodges, who seemed to be having some hard time with the former members of the Brotherhood. Their voices were down to the whisper level so he couldn't understand what they were saying, but he knew it would be trouble.

" Hey! We said we were sorry!"

" Yeah… you're 'sorry'…"

Hodges went back to his sleep with hard feelings. He just couldn't believe that these mutants would joke about his best friend's death at all.

' I can't understand why these mutants… No. Not all mutants. They seemed genuine enough… These Brotherhood mutants, especially Private Pietro, doesn't seem to have any sympathy. They would joke at the death of a good man…'

Hodges sighed. He had known Erik for about five years now. He met Erik back in college, having a privilege of being a roommate. They kept in contact for four years and then ended up in the same unit when the war broke out. For another year, they crawled in the same mud, experienced horrors of war together, and enjoyed the times off from battle together. For him, the loss of Corporal Erik Johnson was a great blow to him. He felt that the others, the former members of the X-Men according to Captain Bradford, knew his loss. He was sure that they experienced loss of their own as well. He didn't know about the day a century ago when the mutants were rounded up, but he knew that it was something like this. He kept telling himself that the others understood. Just then Logan came back from his watch and sat next to him.

" You okay?"

Hodges looked up and saw Logan. He had heard that Logan had fought in the World War II, therefore has seen a lot of horrible stuff that the war had to offer for those who participated in it.

" I just…"

Logan sighed.

" I know, Corporal… Erik, right?"

Hodges nodded.

" Yeah…"

Logan took out the metallic tube cigars and handed one to Hodges. He took it gladly, and placed it in his mouth.

" That's war for you… It seems like a guy's invincible, but sooner or later he's going to get it… It's just war… Anyways… I'm truly sorry for your loss…"

Hodges nodded slowly.

" Thanks…"

While Logan and Hodges exchanged conversation, Scott and Jean who were on the watch began whispering to each other.

" How are you doing, Jean?"

Jean didn't move, but spoke.

" Scared… Really scared… I don't think I've been this scared my whole life…"

Scott sighed.

" It is eerie, I have to admit… It's very quiet… Almost too quiet…"

They went back to their watch, and stared through the binoculars. They knew that it would take some days before the aliens advanced here. They began thinking about the incident back in the transport aircraft. The way Erik Johnson had died and the way Rogue had jumped to action afterwards. Scott just couldn't understand that how anyone would be able to do what Rogue did. Frankly he was scared like the rest of them. They were scared that they would be shot down and meet their ends like the 9th Platoon guys back in New Los Angeles. He felt someone touching his shoulder, and saw Piotr and Kitty. Jean and Scott headed back with sense of relief.

------

The sun rose from the east as the new day began. Rogue and Alex found themselves once again laying side by side in the sand looking down at the horizon to the south. Alex was contemplating on whether to move their position further southwest to make contact with the enemy sooner. He then decided against it since there will not be a cover for them to use to get away from the scorching sun. Rogue was looking around near by when she saw a sidewinder snake moving quickly to avoid the heat. She sighed and looked through the scope now. She squinted her eyes as she saw something far away. It looked like a hazy image of a mirage but then she saw the sand rising higher and higher.

" Sir… Ah see somethin' here…"

Alex quickly looked through his binocular and saw the sands as well. They waited for a while to see whether it was the enemy or something else. They waited for thirty minutes before they saw a definite shape. It consisted of EAA tanks and other Earth vehicles. Alex quickly got on the radio and contacted the base that they left.

" This is Sierra-45. Come in, Echo-45."

After a moment of silence, the colonel back at the base came on.

" What is it?"

" Do we have any report on survivors in Cairo, over?"

" Negative, Sierra-45. No reports of survivors at this time. What do you see, Sierra-45?"

Alex looked through the binocular again.

" About a battalion of EAA tanks. I repeat. About a battalion of Echo-Alpha-Alpha tanks, over."

The colonel paused.

" That' your customer, Sierra-45. Echo-45 out."

Alex and Rogue got up and ran to the others.

" We found them. They're approaching from southwest as expected. We'll move southeast to follow their right flank. Let's move out."

Everyone grabbed their rucksacks and walked in faster than normal pace towards southeast. Things were definitely getting interesting now.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is Alex' display of his emotion going to ruin the delicate relationship between himself and Rogue? Will the EAA be able to hold the African front?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	9. Chapter 9

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is **Alternate Universe**.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mutants ran through the white sands of the desert with heavy loads of gear once again. They had spent almost four days relaying what they saw back to the HQ. The mission was going well, and the HQ wanted them extracted in anticipation of an artillery barrage. The sun was setting to their right and glowed with orange shade. It had the effect of changing the sands to take the color of the light emitted from the sun. They saw a body of water not far away. The one who was running at the front stopped at the waterline, and looked back and waved the others to hurry. When the others stopped at the waterline, they gasped for breath.

" We'll have to swim across. Unless we have someone who can make a makeshift bridge…"

Ororo looked around then sighed.

" We don't have anyone that can do it."

Alex looked at Jean.

" Can you take all of us across?"

Jean looked at the other end of the water, which was the Sinai desert.

" It's too far."

Alex thought for a while. He would have preferred to extract now, but there wasn't any time. He knew that the water was too wide to swim across.

" Kurt. Can you get us across?"

Kurt looked at the far end, and cocked his head.

" I don't know…"

Alex then sighed.

" Get us as far as you can. We'll swim the rest of the way."

Everyone held each other's hands and got ready. Kurt teleported them as far as he could. Which was about two thirds across the wide river. As soon as they reappeared, they fell to the water, and began swimming across. Piotr and Logan were having some difficulties with their heavy equipment, as well as Rogue. The three lagged behind, all the while the others reached the end. Alex looked back, and saw them.

" Shit! Kurt!"

Kurt teleported to each of them, and brought them ashore. The three coughed to get water out of their lungs. Rogue kneeled down and looked through her sniper rifle across the river.

" Dey're moving towards da canals. Wait…"

Rogue saw the massive amount of aliens being revealed as the vehicles moved towards the canal.

" Dey're plannin' to swim across?"

Alex took out his binocular and looked through it as well. He then radioed the HQ.

" Echo-45. This is Sierra-45. The mechanized units are heading towards the canal, but the infantry's attempting to swim across. Do you read me, over?"

He waited for a moment, then got the answer.

" Roger, Sierra-45. Be aware that you are in the target zone of the artillery bombardment. Move 3 klicks east to get out of the artillery zone. Will extract you at the spot."

Alex got up, and tapped Rogue's shoulder.

" Let's go! We have to run 3 kilometers."

They all got up to move when they saw a great explosion to the south. Alex's eyes widened as he saw a large explosion where Suez Canal was.

" Move!"

Everyone began to run at full speed. Rogue looked back to see some of the aliens swimming in the river. She was surprised that they had caught up so fast. Alex also looked back to see the enemy. They all ran as fast as they could, almost at the speed of sprinting a 100 meters for competition. Alex looked at the map displayed on his visor and saw that they had passed the 3 kilometer mark, but kept running. He needed to run about 300 meters more to avoid any possible shrapnel wounds. He slowed down as he passed his mark, and the others did the same. Alex got on the radio, gasping for breath. His head was dizzy and he couldn't think straight at all, but he managed to send a message.

" Sierra…-45... Cleared…kill…zone… Begin… bombardment…"

He heard the happy reply at the other end.

" Roger, Sierra-45."

He looked back, and saw the others in similar condition. The only one who wasn't feeling like him was Pietro. He took out his canteen and began drinking some of the water. He saw Rogue on the ground on all fours and throwing up. She lost the contents in her stomach, and then gasped for a while, then drank the water to clean up her mouth. They all rested until the artillery began landing where the aliens were. Alex quickly ordered everyone to lay down on the sands again, and get their weapons ready. He wanted to make sure that no one will advance farther east. Rogue looked through her sniper scope to see the carnage. The aliens blew up to pieces and they seemed to vaporize as the fire engulfed them.

After a few minutes of seemingly endless roar of the explosions, the bombardment stopped. Alex saw through his binocular, along with Rogue through her scope, that quite a few of them were alive. Alex turned to Rogue.

" Take 'em out!"

Rogue placed the red dot in the center of her scope on the head of the first alien. She let out her breath partially and then squeezed the trigger. After one or two second, she saw the alien's head seemingly blow up. She moved on to the next one, and squeezed off another round, then moved on to another target. She did so for thirty times before she became empty. She took her eyes off the scope to feed another magazine when the others opened fire. The thin line of the advancing aliens dropped to the ground. Rogue finished loading her rifle, then swung it around. She got her other rifle and stood up. The others got up along with her, and began advancing towards the carnage in a slow, but steady pace. They wanted to see if there were some still alive. They checked each of the corpses nearby through kicking it. Pietro had kicked a body when it's tentacles moved. In a scare, he began pumping bullets into its body. After he emptied a whole magazine, he tried to catch his breath, and his nerve. Rogue had kicked the tenth body when it moved. She kept her weapon aimed and stood firmly. Alex who was just five meters away saw Rogue standing still, and came to her.

" What's up?"

" Got a live one!"

Alex thought for a moment. He wanted to see if they could interrogate one. He then heard some small explosions towards the coast. Some of the corpses began exploding, and his eyes widened.

" Shit! Fall back!"

Rogue saw the explosion and then looked back down at the body.

" Fuck!"

Rogue grabbed the body by it's shoulder, and began dragging it along with her. After she cleared the lines formed by the bodies, she took out her knife, and cracked open the bio-armor. Her eyes widened as she saw what was inside. She dropped her knife, and fell on her rear in surprise. Alex quickly rushed towards her, along with everyone else. Their eyes also widened with surprise as they saw a human, bleeding out green liquid from the wounds. Rogue covered her mouth with her hand.

" Oh, mah God…"

Alex closed his eyes for a moment, then took out his pistol, and fired a shot into the man's head. He holstered the pistol, and helped Rogue up.

" Let's go."

They all moved away after collecting their equipments. They waited for the extraction chopper in the middle of a desert. They all didn't speak at all. Alex thought alone at what he saw.

' The bastards are using us as their foot soldiers!'

Rogue also sat down, too shocked to do anything. Everyone else thought about it also. For all they knew, they've been shooting humans the whole time they've been fighting. Just then, the sound of the chopper fortunately interrupted their thoughts. Logan threw a smoke grenade not far away from their position, and the chopper landed. They all loaded up to go back. The man who was behind the left machine gun smiled.

" We held them off! By the way, 10th Mechanized division is now pushing back towards west! You guys really did a…"

The gunner finally noticed the gloom look on everyone. He eyed everyone to get a feel for their moods, and carefully spoke.

" What's up guys?"

Alex took a deep breath and sighed.

" Don't speak, sergeant…"

The gunner nodded and went back to his duties. The chopper landed back at the base and found it celebrating their achievement. The colonel in charge was waiting for them with a short, slouchy soldier, and Lance.

" Nice job, Captain. By the way, the last of your team member has arrived last night along with Private Lance."

Everyone then realized that the slouchy soldier was none other than Toad. The former Brotherhood members jumped out of the chopper to greet him.

" Hey, man! I'm finally here!"

The colonel then took out two envelopes out of his pocket, and handed it to Alex.

" These are the letters about your requests."

Alex saluted, and led the others into their tents with the letters. While on the way, Toad began inquiring about their combat.

" So how was it like, man? Was it cool?"

Pietro nodded.

" Yeah! We kicked ass! Lance can tell you about it too."

Fred looked at Lance, then cocked his head.

" Hey, lift your shirt. I want to see the scar."

Lance lifted his shirt with smile, revealing nothing in particular that would hint the wound he received.

" Where is it?"

Lance smirked.

" They did sort of a plastic surgery afterwards."

They all settled down inside, placing their sleeping bags inside. Alex dropped his packs, and opened the two letters. He first read the one with red borders, signifying a matter concerning his inquiry into Logan.

' Earth Alliance Army approves the request of promotion for Private Logan. As of 1500 of Tuesday. That's yesterday. Private Logan is promoted as Sergeant Logan.'

Alex smiled, and then got to the other letter.

' Earth Alliance Army approves the request of promotion for Private Rogue. As of 1600 of Tuesday, Private Rogue is promoted to the rank of Corporal, and that she is accepted into the OCS. The HQ, however, regretfully inform that the recommendation for Army Star medal has been denied.'

Alex became slightly angry as he read the last line regarding his recommendation for medal. It was apparent that Corporal Johnson had been awarded posthumously, but Rogue had not. He gritted his teeth for a while with his back facing the others, then turned around with smile.

" Well, Logan… Looks like you're a sergeant now…"

The others' eyes widened.

" Sir?"

Alex sat down on his sleeping bag, and waved the letter.

" You're now my XO until something happens. By the way, Private Rogue… I mean, Corporal Rogue. You better get ready to leave for OCS some time soon. It's been approved."

The other mutants, especially the former members of the Brotherhood looked at her with envy. Remy looked at her with a smile.

" Well, chere. Make us proud, 'kay?"

Rogue smirked.

" Well, yah worry about yahr own thin', alright?"

Alex took out two pairs of insignias and handed them to Logan and Rogue.

" Put them on."

They replaced their old patches of chevrons and replaced them with their new ones. Afterwards, Alex got into his sack and sighed.

" Sleep as much as you can. You've earned it."

------

The sun rose from the east like any other day, waking up the people in the small airfield. Various personnel moved about, changing the crews on watch and doing other things. Alex woke up before anyone else in the tent, and stepped out of the tent to see the bright sun, and the endless plain of the desert. He saw the 5th Platoon hopping into the chopper for their mission, and he began to wonder what it was. He walked to the briefing room, and took a look at the map. Apparently last night's artillery bombardment had effectively halted the enemy advance, and that made this base the frontline base. He took out his newly purchased cigar, and lit a match. He drew in a smoke and then let it out of his lungs.

' How do I report it? How do I report the fact that all the enemy that we've killed were humans?'

He looked back at the door, and saw the colonel. He stared at the cigar in Alex' mouth, and frowned.

" You better put out that smoke, captain."

Alex quickly jammed the burning tip of the cigar against his belt buckle and placed it on the table.

" Sir!"

The colonel sat down on behind the table, and sighed.

" So how did it go last night?"

Alex hesitated, deciding whether to sit down or not. He finally pulled the nearest chair and sat.

" Colonel. The aliens…well, some of them at least… are…"

The colonel's eyes narrowed.

" What are you trying to say, captain?"

Alex drew a deep breath to work up his courage.

" Some of the alien soldiers are humans, sir. Well, they were human before something happened to them. I'm willing to bet that it has to do with the report I made after New Los Angeles operation."

Colonel's hands began shaking.

" How did you find out, captain?"

" One of my men cracked opened their armor and found a man bleeding a green liquid from the bullet wounds."

The colonel looked at the table with grim expression. He was outraged, but his position didn't allow him to show his emotion.

" So we don't know if all the presumed KIAs or MIAs are among them?"

Alex nodded reluctantly.

" Yes, sir… I would think so, sir."

The colonel slammed his hand against the table, and growled.

" Bastards!"

He looked at Alex, then dismissed him.

" You can go, captain."

Alex saluted, and got out of the briefing room, and headed back to his tent. He lit the cigar again, and continued where he left off. He sat on the ground in front of the tent, and took out his dog tags. He looked at the one belonging to Jenny, and sighed.

' Are you alive somewhere?'

Just then he heard the cough beside him, and turned his attention.

" Yah know it's bad for yah, right sir?"

Alex smirked.

" So everyone tells me…"

Rogue smirked, and took a seat a bit away from Alex. She didn't know what she was feeling at the moment, and she didn't want to be next to Alex until she found out for sure. It was apparent that Alex had feelings for her, but she was confused by the fact that she wasn't refuting his advance at all.

' Yah've managed to keep yahrself composed with Remy, so why can't yah do it with him?'

Rogue looked at the activity, then looked at Alex.

" So what's goin' on, sir?"

Alex shrugged.

" Who knows? I know we're pushing them down, but I don't know if it will go as planned…"

Alex looked at Rogue, then sighed.

" I'm sorry…"

Rogue looked at Alex strangely.

" Sorry for what? Sir?"

Alex sighed again.

" I was out of line back there… I shouldn't have done that…"

" ……."

Rogue didn't say anything. She was for some reason afraid to speak. She was actually worried about what he'll think if she said anything. If she said it was okay, she thought that he might continue his advance, but if she said otherwise, she was worried that he might stop. She figured that remaining silent was the best thing to do. Alex, on the other hand, felt a bit confused since he didn't receive any answer for his apology. He then decided to move on.

" I'm also sorry that you didn't get the medal."

Rogue's head turned towards Alex.

" What medal?"

Alex took out the cigar from his mouth, and let out a puff of smoke.

" I recommended you for Army Star medal, but they people at the top denied it. Corporal Johnson, who was recommended along with you, got it posthumously. It's the damn brass, but I still want to say I'm sorry."

Rogue sighed.

" Ah don't give a damn about some piece of metal, sir. Ah was worried about everyone else…"

Alex looked at Rogue suspiciously, and smirked.

" Including me?"

Rogue's face began to blush, then turned away.

" …Well, actually… Ah was worried about mah own butt. Yeah! Ah was just selfish about mah own life!"

Rogue turned her attention back to Alex, and saw him shaking his head.

" Don't lie to me, and what's more. Don't lie to yourself. Your conduct back in that aircraft wasn't the result of selfishness. It was your willingness for self-sacrifice for the benefit of the unit."

Rogue looked down at the sands, and didn't turn her attention towards Alex. Alex smirked, and continued to smoke.

The others got up, and came out of the tent. They had just began stretching themselves when a vehicle pulled up in front of the tent. The corporal saluted to Alex.

" Sir! We have a situation. The colonel wants you to come with me, sir."

Alex nodded, and hopped on to the vehicle. It quickly sped off to the briefing room. The others watched them with curiosity. Obviously it was some sort of emergency, but they didn't know what kind. Logan looked at the others.

" Right. Get your gears. We want to get prepared incase it's something serious."

Everyone entered the tent, and got their gears on. Rogue carried Alex' gear out and laid it next to the entrance.

Alex entered the briefing room to find every CO of each units at the base sitting around the table. Latest overhead images of the area in question was on the board along with the map. The colonel saw Alex enter and smiled.

" Captain, Bradford. Nice of you to join us. As I've said to the others. We have a situation. The 1st Platoon from the 7th Corp, 5th Special Forces Division, 8th battalion, Delta company is stranded behind enemy lines with two casualties, which includes its CO…"

Alex twitched when he heard that the 1st Platoon's CO died. He was Alex' close friend since the academy, which was pretty much a college with some military style courses.

' Nick's dead?'

He shook the thoughts away, and paid attention to the briefing.

" …What I need is volunteers to extract those 1st Platoon boys. Jim, I know that you and the 7th Platoon is ready to go, and Frank's 2nd Platoon is also ready…"

Alex thought for a moment. He really wanted to get revenge for Lieutenant Nicholas Harrison, but he also knew that his men had just came back from a recon mission last night, and they were fatigued. He waited until the colonel sighed.

" Okay. I see that the others are not ready, so I'll give you ten minutes to talk with your men. Return when you have the answer. Dismissed. You guys from 2nd and 7th wait at the runway."

Every CO left the tent, and headed back to their designated tent. Alex hopped on to a vehicle and rushed back to the tent. He saw the others all ready in the combat gear.

" What's going on, sir?"

Alex got out of the vehicle. His height didn't pose problem getting the others' attention. He was one of the tallest man in the unit, so he was quite visible.

" We just received word that the 1st Platoon is stranded behind enemy lines from a recon mission gone bad. It's CO is dead, along with one wounded. The colonel has asked for volunteers for the rescue mission, and 2nd and 7th Platoon has already volunteered. I know you all are tired. I've come here to ask for volunteers. If you enlist yourself into this mission, then step forward."

Rogue and Logan, along with most of the former X-Men stepped forward. Piotr took a moment, then also stepped forward, standing next to Kitty. Alex looked at the others for a while, then saw Remy step forward also. He was about to say that it was okay when the rest stepped forward as well. He knew that most of them were scared, or reluctant to return to battlefield so soon, so he understood their hesitation.

" Alright! Load up and move out to the airfield! Join the 2nd and 7th!"

Alex grabbed his gear and drove to the briefing room. He saw that both 5th and 8th were also volunteering. He walked in with smile while he got his gears on. Just then the colonel sighed.

" Listen, Captain Bradford… I'm sorry to tell you this, but you'll have to sit this one out. I just got a call from Pentagon forbidding you form participating in this operation."

Alex stood dazed.

" Do you mean my whole unit, sir?"

The colonel shook his head.

" No. Just you."

Alex looked at the others and saw a bit of hatred from them. It was as if they were saying that he would live once again because he was the son of the president. He tried to protest.

" But!"

The colonel sighed.

" I'm sorry, captain. Orders are orders. You need to pick a temporary CO for your unit."

Alex quickly thought for a moment. Sgt. Logan was the first choice, then he thought about Cpl. Rogue as well. They were both capable of leading. He then grabbed his radio.

" Corporal Rogue! This is Captain Bradford. Come in!"

------

Rogue heard the call in her helmet and pulled the tiny microphone out of the tip of her left cheek guard.

" Yes, sir?"

She waited for a while for Alex to continue speaking. She finally received her instruction a moment later.

" You'll lead the 3rd Platoon in this deployment. The colonel wants me to stay behind. As much as I don't like it, the orders are orders. So come to the briefing room to get my gear. Sierra-45 out."

Rogue stood dazed in front of a transport aircraft. She couldn't believe that she was put in charge instead of Logan. Logan then tapped Rogue's shoulder.

" Go."

Rogue nodded, and ran to the briefing room. The other teams, who heard the transmission, were surprised that a mere Corporal was put in charge of a platoon. It was unheard of, and absurd.

" Did we hear that right? A corporal's in charge of 3rd Platoon?"

" Okay, we can scratch 3rd out of our list. They don't know anything!"

Logan heard the conversation in the transport aircraft, and sighed. Corporal Hodges sighed in frustration.

" We're dead…"

The mutants turned their attention to him.

" What?"

" Didn't you hear? Whenever Captain Bradford takes command and temporarily leaves it, the unit gets annihilated. I'm sure you've heard of it…"

The others nodded.

" We forgot about that… Shit!"

Toad began ranting.

" We're gonna die! We're all gonna die!"

Everyone began to have a bad feelings about the mission. Logan began thinking about the odds of survival. He knew that they would insert by aircraft, and parachute in, and they would extract in the same aircraft that they inserted in after moving about 3 to 5 kilometers on foot. He knew that they would be surrounded by huge number of enemy well behind enemy lines, facing God knows what.

' It's going to be the toughest mission yet.'

He looked back at the other teams, who were pumped up for the mission. They all waited for Rogue's return.

Rogue entered the briefing room and saw Alex in frustration, and anger. He handed his maps, and ammos and supplies to Rogue, then sighed.

" I argued so that I'll take over the mission. I'll get you guys the information you need from here."

Rogue sighed.

" Why did yah put meh in command? Mr. Ah mean, Sergeant Logan has more experience dan meh, sir."

Alex nodded.

" I know. But you can coordinate between the various 'factions' in our platoon. Don't worry. I'll be a radio call away."

Rogue saluted, and left. She ran quickly back to the airfield, to see the others already in the cargo area of the aircraft. She ran up the ramp, which began to close as soon as she put her feet on them. She handed out the ammo, and then pocketed the map. She got the parachute on, and then secured it. As the large aircraft began rolling on the ground, Rogue sat down on the bench. She sighed, and looked around rather nervously. She saw the other teams looking at her, trying to get a feel for the temporary 'commanding officer' of the 3rd Platoon. She collected the bracelets, and put them in the pouch that Alex gave to her. However, she left hers on. She decided that since she might interact with the others, she had to be able to touch other people. She put the pouch inside her vest like the map and began readying her weapon. The CO of the 2nd Platoon who sat across the cargo hold gave her a smirk.

" Don't get yourselves killed, you hear?"

Rogue drew a deep breath to calm herself down.

' Ah have to beh calm. Ah have to beh calm…'

Logan tapped Rogue's shoulder.

" You okay?"

Rogue sighed, and let out a forced smile.

" Not really…"

Logan tapped her shoulder.

" You'll do fine. Besides, I'll help you through it."

Rogue began briefing the others more thoroughly.

" Dey're in da outskirts of Cairo. We'll beh dropped right on top of 'em, so watch yahr fire."

Everyone nodded. The other teams, however, thought that this girl was a joke. A private in the back, smirked.

" I bet you five dollars that she'd be the one to get hit first."

A guy next to him, who thought otherwise, took the bet.

" I'll take that bet."

------

The aircraft cruised at 10,000 feet above the ground with two full squadrons of fighters escorting it. The fighters were to provide air cover during the rescue, and also watch over the transport plane that was the only means of extraction. As minutes passed by and as they came closer and closer to the men stranded, everyone became serious. The jokes stopped, and they began prepping their weapons and the parachutes. Everyone stood up from their seats as they heard the thirty minute warning. Each of them hooked the yellow clasp that was attached to the parachute on the metal wire overhead. When they were ready, they heard the voice of Alex over the radio.

" Okay, this is how we'll do this. You'll be dropped right on top of the 1st Platoon. Command wants you to secure them, and proceed on foot for 3 kilometers out of the city. The plane that you're riding will pick you up there. I know you all heard the report about humans amongst the alien soldiers. Anyone we leave behind from now on will turn into them. Good luck."

Rogue looked at the others, and then looked up at the clasp. She cocked her assault rifle and the pistol. She swung the assault rifle to the front of her, and then brought the sniper rifle to the front as well. She cocked it, then put it behind her again. They all brought HE magazines for MPPLs and hollow point round for the assault rifle and the machine guns. Even though they brought a lot of ammo, they didn't feel that heavy since most of them, except for the medics, didn't bring their rucksacks. The aircraft began its descent to 3,000 feet and the adrenalins began pumping into everyone's body. Each of the platoons had decided on which directions of the perimeter to protect. Rogue closed her eyes, and began thinking about the position that she'll take. Just then, the ramp opened up. The air inside sucked out with the difference in pressure. All they could do now was look for the green light. Everyone waited nervously. They all had sweats in their palms. A horn rang in their helmets, and the green light came on. All of them rushed out of the aircraft in unison, with the clasp ripping the bag for their parachutes to open. One by one, the sky blue colored fabric opened up, slowing the descent for them. Kurt looked down and muttered under his breath.

" Mein gott!"

They were dropping into a perimeter of about twenty meters surrounded by the enemy. The blue lightning bolts crossed the circle, and the tracers zipped by to the source of the blue ray. Remy took a deep breath, and then looked towards his left. He saw Rogue nodding. Remy reached into his pockets, and took out a few stones. He kinetically charged them and threw it into the mass of aliens surrounding the perimeter. A few seconds later, everyone saw the small explosions here and there in the midst of the swarms of the enemy. Rogue also got her sniper rifle and began shooting a few that was charging into the perimeter. The members of the other platoons watched in fascination. One by one, they began to land on the ground. The first to land was 7th Platoon, who sat close to the ramp. They quickly unhooked their parachutes, and moved to the wounded in the center. The two medics in the team began assessing the wounds, while the others took position to relieve the 1st Platoon members. One by one, the teams landed in the perimeter. Rogue looked to her east to see the lines thinner than the most. She then saw the ground fast approaching and braced herself. Just as she hit the ground, she rolled to her right, and unhooked the parachute. She got out of the blanket of fabric and ran to the pre-designated position. She tapped the shoulder of the man who was trying desperately to hold his position. After getting his attention, she hollered over the roar of the gunfire, and high pitch noise of the enemy fire.

" Friendly!"

She then raised her assault rifle and began firing. One by one, the aliens received two bullets to their heads, and fell down. Soon, she began to hear more volume of fire behind her, and felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked back, and saw the others already in position. Cpl. Hodges was with the other medics, assessing the wounds of the 1st Platoon. The lead of 2nd Platoon came on the radio.

" Bravo-45, Alpha secure. Prepare to fall back east. Sierra, secure the rear."

Rogue spoke on the microphone.

" Roger."

She had just finished speaking when she saw one of the enemy leap into the air, trying to land within the perimeter. She quickly switched to MPPL, and pumped the action, and followed the target with her sight. When she pulled the trigger, the HE round impacted on the body, blowing it to pieces. She then saw a man being treated by the medics speak.

" They've been doing that for a while now. Those are the ones you have to look for."

Rogue nodded, and spoke.

" Sierra-43, be advised dat dere may be jumpers among dem. Take'em out no matter what."

" Roger Sierra-43."

Rogue switched back to the rifle and began firing. Things didn't look so good as the rows that were mowed down with the bullets refilled as quickly as it was cut down. She heard the click of empty chamber, and ejected the magazine. She reached for the next one when she saw another jumper.

' Shit!'

Her eyes trailed while her right hand reached for the pistol. She then saw it explode in mid air again. She sighed in relief, and quickly continued to reload.

Meanwhile, Piotr and Logan were busy cutting down swarms of the enemy with their machine guns. It seemed like it was a futile attempt that just didn't have any chance of succeeding no matter how much they tried. They began to hear some screams of agony behind them, no doubt someone had been shot. They paid no attention, and continued to suppress the advance of aliens who didn't seem to think much on their massive losses. They were going to be slaughtered if something didn't happen.

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Surrounded, and overwhelmed, can the mutants escape? Will they be overrun?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	10. Chapter 10

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. The characters have no relation with anyone living currently in reality. This story is strictly a **Fan Fiction**. This fic is **Alternate Universe**.

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Rogue looked back at the others, and saw Cpl. Hodges giving thumbs up. She got on the radio, and spoke.

" How's the situation?"

" They're fine! Except for the CO, they'll live! We need to get the fuck out of here though!"

Lt. Frank Emerson of 2nd Platoon came on the radio.

" Okay! 3rd take point! Lead us out to extract."

Rogue looked at the direction she had already picked out while parachuting down. As usual, it was still thin. Rogue walked over to Scott, and tapped his shoulder.

" Ah need yah to clear da way for us!"

Scott nodded as he smirked, and moved towards east. One by one, the mutants fell back to east while the other teams filled in the gap quickly. Scott closed his eyes for a moment, and retracted the visor. He quickly opened his eyes, letting out uncontrolled amount of the red ray in front of him, and clearing the way. Rogue quickly yelled out to the medics in the middle to follow their lead. Piotr stood at the rear of the group and to the left while Logan stood at the right side of the rear. The idea was for them to provide covering fire to the others' advance. They all formed up in a narrow arrowhead like shape, and moved quickly towards the extraction point. Rogue personally stood at the rear along with the 2nd Platoon. She wanted to make sure everyone was getting out. They all now ran along with the group while trying not to get separated. Many aliens charged in, trying to get into a hand to hand combat they had supremacy over their opponents. Virtually all of them were shot dead at the spot, though some of the humans were enveloped by aliens after being plucked out of the group. Even though they were losing men, the wedge of the humans drove through the mass of aliens. Rogue heard the click from her rifle, and reached for the new magazine in the pouch with her left hand when some of them decided to make the move. She quickly let go of the rifle and pulled out her pistol, and fired four shots in a haste, from which only the three connected. In a last effort, one of the aliens reached with its tentacles, touching upon Rogue's leg for a brief period. Rogue felt her left leg going numb, and unable to move as she wished. The 2nd Platoon members quickly began dragging her by her load bearing harness. Rogue decided to get her weapons loaded and pulled out the magazine from the open pouch. She fed it, and cocked the rifle by pulling on the metal tab on the top. She then went rock and roll with it, and fired in full automatic mode. When it emptied, she began pumping HE rounds into the mass that was in front of her. She didn't know that the human formation had reached the extraction zone, where the plane was waiting on the sand. She felt herself going up the ramp and relaxed a bit.

" Last one! Go! Go! Go!"

The hatch began closing, but the aliens kept coming. The large cargo plane lowered its thrusters downwards, and the pilot pushed the throttle to max speed. The gigantic plane rocked as its wheels came out of the sand that buried them. The soldiers in the cargo area kept pouring ammo into the crowd of aliens When they finally reached the safe altitude, they heard Alex' voice over the radio, clearing the fighters for sweep on the ground. They saw the small, but seemingly infinite explosions from the bombs dropped on the aliens through the small crack in the hatch before it finally closed. Rogue crawled to the middle where the medics were working on the injured. Cpl. Hodges came, and looked at the leg. It had a thick burn mark on the calf, but there wasn't any other injury visible. He took out a bandage, and began wrapping the burn mark, all the while speaking to Rogue.

" You got us out! You broke the curse!"

Rogue shook her head with smile.

" We all did it!"

Cpl. Hodges examined the leg further by poking his finger on the skin.

" Can you feel it?"

Rogue shook her head.

" No!"

Cpl. Hodges scoffed.

" Your legs were electrocuted a bit. Fortunately the contact was very brief so there won't be a permanent numbness."

Rogue nodded, and rested her head against the floor. She then reached into the vest and took out the pouch.

" Hand dese out, will yah?"

Cpl. Hodges nodded, and walked to the others, and handed the bracelets out.

' Damn it! Nice goin' Rogue! Yah got injured!'

She then felt the feelings returning to her leg, and she felt the stinging sensation on her leg. It was as if some kind of acid was poured on it. She reached to her leg and got the bandages off. The resulting frenzy had opened the cauterization, and blood began seeping out. Rogue was shocked to see such amount of blood coming out of her. Hodges saw it just in time to re-wrap the bandage.

" What were you thinking?"  
" It was stingin' like hell! Ah thought someone had poured acid on it."

Hodges' face froze, and then stopped what he was doing. He unwrapped the bandage and turned to the others.

" I need 10cc of Nohr!"

The other medic threw Hodges a syringe, and Hodges quickly uncovered the needle and stabbed it into Rogue's thigh, making her scream at sudden pain.

" Agh! Why'd yah do dat for?!"

Hodges then grabbed another cylinder and handed it to Rogue.

" I want you to stab it into your heart! Now!"

Rogue hesitated for a moment, then began taking off her web-gear. She placed the cylinder against her heart, and a needle jettisoned out of the cylinder, poking into her heart. The content quickly ejected out through the needle into the heart, and Rogue was too stunned with pain and shock to even take out the cylinder. Hodges pulled it out and threw it in the hazardous material bag. Remy saw it unfold in front of him along with the other mutants and inquired.

" What's going on, monsieur?"

" What's up?"

Hodges didn't answer, but kept staring at the small monitoring equipment that he attached to Rogue's left jugular. He waited for a while until the red flashing numbers dropped, turning into yellow, then finally green.

" There are some aliens with toxins in its systems. Corporal Rogue here was unlucky to be touched by one of them."

The medics continued to work on their own patients, all the while the others were watching the scenery outside. Everyone felt the plane descending in preparation for landing. They all heard the landing gear extending and cheered. The men of the 1st Platoon were the ones most joyful at their return. Even before the ramp came down completely, they came down, and some of them kissed the sands.

------

As the men walked out of the aircraft one by one, they saw Alex standing not far away. His eyes searched for his men, and began counting one by one to see if any of them were hurt. When he saw Rogue coming out with bandages around her left leg, he rushed towards her.

" What the hell happened?"

Before Rogue could answer, which was going to be somewhat spiteful, Cpl. Hodges spoke.

" She got hit by a 'stinger,' sir."

Alex saw Rogue looking at Hodges and sighing. He relieved the corpsman on the other side and carried Rogue down to the infirmary.

" Ah'm sorry, sir. Ah messed up."

Alex shook his head.

" You did fine. It's okay."

They entered the infirmary, which was filled with more seriously injured men screaming in agony, and moaning in pain. The air was filled with musky smell of blood medical equipment that transformed into smell of death. Rogue was given a bed, and the doctors began assessing the wound. They unwrapped the bandage, and poured a small amount of sanitizing fluid to clean the wound. Rogue bit her lips to keep herself from screaming like the others. She didn't want to add the effect of horror that was already there. When they removed the cauterization of the blood around her leg, they found somewhat ghastly wound that had skin peeled off from the muscle. Rogue finally noticed the wound and her eyes widened with shock, and the heart rate began to rise.

" Oh mah god!"

The doctor turned to the nurse, who took out a sedative from the pouch and injected it into the IV line. Rogue's eyes relaxed, and became hazy until she fell asleep. The beeps of warning from the monitor stopped as the heart rate came back down. Alex turned to the doctor.

" So how is it, doc?"

" She'll be just fine, captain. She'll need some time to re-grow the skin, but there's no real damage."

Alex thanked the doctor and sat down on the stool next to the bed. He took out a letter from his pocket, and looked at it again.

' Corporal Rogue is to report to the OCS by 2300 of the 14th day from the accepting the letter.'

Alex knew that it would be a great time for Rogue to recover. OCS was a school, going over fundamentals of being an officer, which didn't really differ much from what they usually had to do. He placed the letter back in the envelope, and placed it next to Rogue's bed for her to read later. He go up, and then walked back to the tent. He saw the others concerned about Rogue's condition.

" How is she, sir?"

" Is she okay?"

Alex raised his hands to calm them down.

" She's fine. She'll have plenty of time to recover the wound at the OCS. Corporal Hodges. Good work, by the way. That private will live…"

Hodges' face lit up.

" Thank you, sir."

Alex then sat down with the others.

" Okay. Now to the business at hand. With the Operation: Pharaoh, the 147th Mechanized Division has broken through the enemy line, and are moving towards Cairo. What's left of the air assets are now softening up the city in preparation for the assault. What the Delta Company is asked to do is to follow the 147th with 104th Infantry to provide cover for the tanks. Since we're short of one person…"

Just then they heard the fabric of the front of the tent shuffle.

" I think I can help that… 2nd Lieutenant Morris. Reporting for duty, sir!"

Alex looked back, and saw the old Sgt. Morris, now a 2nd Lieutenant with his gear.

" Sergeant, I mean lieutenant. Welcome back."

Robert Morris smiled and shook everyone's hands. Lt. Morris sat down and sighed.

" So, Rogue's WIA or KIA?"

Alex smirked.

" We're not getting rid of her that easily, nor these guys for that matter. You should know that, lieutenant…"

Robert Morris chuckled.

" I know, sir. Just checking. Oh, I heard the rescue job. Nice one."

Toad smiled.

" Yeah! We kicked ass! And we broke the curse!"

Morris nodded.

" You did?"

The others smirked, and tapped on Toad's head. Alex then looked at the map.

" So, let's go on. We are going to do a sweep of the city. Block by block, we're going to clean it out of the entrenched enemy. The profile will be the same as the other mission. Two machine gunners are to hold the building, and the rifle team will sweep through the building. The rest of the Delta Company will do the same, and the 104th will stick with the vehicles to repel any enemy forces looking to get us. I'm sure that we'll see the same things that we've seen in New Los Angeles, so my order is now changed. If you see anyone with alien organism, shoot'em. I'm not compromising the safety of this team again."

Scott looked around.

" So what will happen to Rogue, sir?"

Alex smiled.

" She's going to the OCS and recover while getting herself to become an officer. Now. If that's all, you're dismissed. Lieutenant Morris, follow me."

Lt. Morris followed Alex outside, and entered the officer's club. The others saw Morris' return and raised their glass.

" Congratulations!"

Alex sat with Morris in front of the bartender, who served them a glass of water.

" I thought you were going to get a platoon of your own, Bob…"

Morris nodded.

" Me too, sir. I guess I'm on the shit list, sir."

Alex chuckled, which Morris followed.

" Well, I guess we're all on the shit list now."

While the two officers were talking to each other, the others in the tent began to relax. Kitty sat with Piotr, while Toad quickly took his seat next to Wanda.

" So, Piotr… You think Rogue's going to be okay?"

Piotr smiled.

" Hodges thinks it's minor wound… She'll be alright."

Kitty nodded with smile.

" You know… I think you're doing well…"

Piotr's face reddened with embarrassment. Frankly, he was a bit shy with women. Except for his sister Ilyana, there wasn't any chance to have some kind of relationship with girls at all.

" Back in Russia, there was a conscription. I knew I had to serve the motherland, but with my family…"

Kitty got the rest of the story already in her thoughts even before Piotr stopped.

" I know… You don't have to say it…"

The two leaned against each other, causing some of the others to look with envy. Toad, felt the need for him to make his move as well.

" Well, sweet cake… How are you doing?"

Wanda stared at Toad with little contempt, and sighed.

" Ugh!"

Wanda scooted a little away from him, but he quickly closed the gap. They did so until Wanda was sandwiched by Lance and Toad.

" Damn it!"

Lance backed off with smile, giving Wanda some room.

" Go ahead…"

While Wanda was trying to dodge Toad's affection, Scott and Jean got out of the tent to see Rogue with Kurt. They walked around the base for a while until they entered the infirmary. The gruesomeness that overloaded their senses almost made them throw up. The air inside was full of pungent smell of death, that came from the cocktail of blood, body odor from sweat, and the medicines gave off unfamiliar odor. While their nostrils took in the odor, their eyes saw the blotches of red everywhere. The bandages were partially soaked with blood, while the ghastliness of the wounds of the people burnt alive. While they walked inside, and looked around to find Rogue, their ears were deafened with low groans of agony. Finally, they found Rogue towards the back. She was sitting up against the bed that was raised to facilitate her meal. She was eating the ration, seemingly unscathed by the horrors around her.

" Hey."

Rogue looked up, and smiled.

" Hey."

Kurt looked around, then forced a smile.

" So you're doing okay? Anyzhing ve can get you?"

Rogue shook her head.

" No… Ah heard about da operation dat yah were participatin'. Ah'm sorry Ah can't go with yah…"

Scott shook his head.

" It doesn't matter. Sergeant… I mean, Lieutenant Morris came back. We're back in full strength."

Rogue sighed with comfort.

" Dat's good…"

Jean looked around, then whispered. As much as she wanted to speak telepathically, she couldn't risk taking off her bracelet and getting shot.

" Are you okay with these? Don't you find it repulsive a bit?"

Rogue shook her head after a moment of hesitation.

" No… Ah got used to it. Ah'm gettin' outta here as soon as a nurse come back with da papers, anyways."

Just then, a man of rather remarkable build came back with a paper. He handed it to Rogue, and then gave her the crutches.

" Well, next time you come here, I'll have to salute you."

Rogue smirked. She got up with the aid of crutches and limped her way towards the exit with the others. She looked towards the west for a moment, thinking about the one battle she won't be able to help her friends.

------

Everyone back at the tent were surprised to see Rogue out of the infirmary and in crutches. They watched dumbfound as Rogue packed her things, and getting ready to report to OCS.

" What are you doing here? I thought you were in the infirmary."

Rogue smirked.

" Ah got out… Besides, dey need room for the ones with 'real' injury."

Alex looked at Rogue for a moment, then gestured her to follow him.

" Sir?"

Rogue stepped out of the tent, and sat near Alex. He looked at Rogue with some disappointment, and sighed.

" You should be honest… I find that honesty is a very rare virtue, and I like honest people…"

Rogue looked down at the sand grains rolling over each other from a gentle wind. She stared towards the aircrafts in runway, and managed to smile.

" Ah see… And da reason yah're tellin' meh is, sir?"

Alex drew a deep breath, making Rogue worry about his answer. Alex looked at Rogue, and spoke.

" Officers should be honest. Since you're going to be an officer, you should be honest from now on. Besides, I feel that I'm obligated to make the people that I know honest as possible."

Rogue nodded, slowly, and spoke.

" Frankly, sir… Ah wanted to get da hell outta dere. People dyin' and screamin' and Ah couldn't take dat anymore…"

Alex closed his eyes. He then remembered that they've gone through a lot of things since they came to African Front. He felt that everyone needed to have a psychiatric evaluations right about now. He looked at Rogue, and nodded understandingly.

" I would have felt the same way. But, you remember that your goal as an officer is to minimize death on your side. Your job is to bring all the team back home."

Rogue nodded, and grabbed her belongings. She got up on her crutches, with everything else stacked on her shoulders, and saluted.

" Sir."

Alex returned the salute, and smiled.

" Rogue…"

With that, Rogue walked away towards the transport aircraft. While she went on her way, Alex walked over to the infirmary, and scheduled a psychiatric exam for everyone and returned to the tent.

" Okay. I've scheduled a psych evaluation for everyone. I think it's about time you all had your mental health checked. It will be after the Cairo mission. Let's pack up and get ready to mobilize. If you need ammo, grab it from the armory. Lieutenant Morris… You'll be replacing Rogue as the platoon sniper. I think you'll be assigned as such permanently. I know you're the best shot amongst all of us…"

Lt. Morris grinned, and took the sniper rifle. He looked at the scope settings and smiled.

" I guess Corporal Rogue knew what she was doing. I can't find anything that I don't like. Except for the shoulder and cheek plate settings…"

He quickly adjusted the weapon to his body, and nodded to signify that he was set.

Alex ordered everyone to stuff their rucksacks with food and water, while carrying extra ammo along with it. He didn't know how long the mission would take. It would take at least a week of constant urban combat, and he was quite sure that they will not get relieved by the others for a while. He got his helmet on and stared into everyone's eyes. They seemed to be ready, though Toad seemed to be a little bit afraid at the thought that they would be engaged in a week long combat. He led everyone outside, and to the Armored Personnel Carriers waiting for them belonging to the 147th Mechanize Division. As they got ready to move, Scott and Jean looked at each other for a moment, then exchanged an embrace and a kiss that had become almost like a ritual between the two. Soon, the vehicles turned their engines, and started their advance. The desert sands kicked up from the air jettisoned from the ports underneath the vehicles, blowing them towards the ground crew that had just finished supervising them up until now. Some of the hatches opened on the top, and many men got on the turrets. The guns were cocked and ready. The chattering on the radio were heard by everyone, from which they were very anxious about their mission into Cairo. Alex checked his weapons, and began thinking about the scenario that the brass cooked up. He began to feel increasingly resentful towards how the brass planned their battles. More and more, his unit was becoming the cutting edge of the plans. His own body was being stressed from the workload that the top echelon of the military has been putting on him. In some ways, he felt like they were using him and the mutants as a hammer to forcefully drive any plans that didn't actually fit into the situation that was facing them. It was pretty much a victory at all cost attitude. It wasn't that he resented such stance. He had sworn an oath to defend the country and the citizens. What he resented was the pace in which they had to go through the missions. He was sure that they'll all get burnt if this pace continued. He knew that at least three of his men, and himself were safe from the danger, but the rest were at the greatest risk of losing their mental health. Alex looked around the rear bay to see the men ready as they could be. They were very alert, being the sharpest as usual. He tried not to show that he was worried about their current condition, and let them joke around.

" We're going to kick the E.T.'s ass!"

" Yeah!"

While he was hearing such words, he got a tap from Robert Morris.

" Sir… While I was in the OCS, I heard about some of the new weapons they were developing. Especially the one they called 'beam rifle' was quite promising…"

Alex smirked.

" Well, I'll be damned! I'm sure we'll get the prototypes to test it to see if it's safe for the 'humans' to use or not. Lieutenant… I think the brass wants to use these mutants to test anything they cook up. That includes plans. I'm beginning to worry that they might burn up from the constant combat. After this mission, I'm going to request some leave."

Lt. Morris nodded in agreement.

" I think so too, sir. They need some rest."

Just then they heard the chatter about their proximity to the city. Everyone rechecked their weapons and ammo. Things were about to heat up now.

------

In a dark, earthy room lighted by the walls themselves, a group of strangely shaped men stood facing each other. Occasionally, their left hands moved about, making their long, thin tentacles wiggle around. Their conversation was not verbal, since no ambient sound echoed through out the corridors that resembled a complex cave network similar to the ant nest. The only sound that vibrated through the walls were perpetual screams from somewhere within the network of tunnels far away. Finally one of them revealed the face when the helmet part of the armor split down the middle and peeled over to the shoulders. The appearance was that of a human, though the pupils were neon green and the lips that were supposed to have shade of red now took the tone of neon green as well. The others also took off their helmets and looked at each other without any emotion nor words. Finally, the one who took off the helmet last spoke in a deep voice.

" It's not going so well… The new ones are more powerful than any of the humans we've seen."

The one who took off the helmet first smirked then spoke in a husky voice of a woman.

" Then it's time we take them as well… I grow tired of this body anyways…"

" You have to learn to accept the body that you have. Our young need bodies of their own as well."

" How many did we capture today?"

Another one got the helmet back on for a while then took it off again.

" Thousand."

Everyone smirked vilely. It was amusing to know that the very men the humans were fighting to protect would turn against them and join the supposed 'evil alien invaders' from space. It didn't matter to them that the humans were under their control at all. To what the other humans saw, if they saw anything, was the exoskeleton bio armor that they wore. Virtually no one else, other than their own kind, knew about their origin. Anyone who knew, they were hunted down, and killed, or even turned into the hosts of the very ones they feared.

" I need us to capture them if at all possible… They'll most likely make the finest host ever. What did the information from the one who died reveal, anyways?"

The other one smirked.

" Well, the one we were able to sample is a female with different basic DNA structure than any humans we've encountered."

Just as they adjourned their meeting, another came in.

" They've started to attack Cairo."  
The female one smirked.

" Nice… I'm sure they're among them. Try to capture as much as you can. I want as little of killing this time. We're running out of hosts for our young."

The one who came in nodded and went off.

" If we can't capture them, we should kill them quickly."

The others agreed. The prospect of having a significant threat was unsettling. The humans were getting better and better as the fight continued. They thought that the human weapons were just a nuisance at first. But now, they were highly effective at killing them. The captured body armors from the humans were too complex to produce themselves since there was no materials nor the techniques in which to make them. They were, however, working on developing a new weapon much like theirs. The thing that impressed them was the ability of the human weapons to punch through concrete or rocks in some occasions. They've managed to acquire knowledge as to how it worked, but most of them decided to stick to the traditional weapons that they already have. They all felt that they didn't know enough about their enemy. Since the existence of humans with different DNA make up than the others was discovered, their concern came to full realization. They had to fix this problem soon, or their plans of conquest would be out the window as the humans would say.

Rogue saw the East Coast of what used to be United States a hundred years ago. It was strange to see what seemed to be Bayville packed with skyscrapers that seemed to pierce into the sky. She began to reflect on her days, but she felt that it was useless now. The one who sat next to her caught her looking through the window.

" Hey. What's your name, Corporal?"

Rogue turned around and saw a woman with smile. She then noticed the rank chevrons of a private.

" Rogue."

The woman offered her hand.

" I'm Gina. So you're going to OCS?"

Rogue nodded.

" Yeah… But Ah'd rader beh with mah friends in Africa…"

Gina looked at the arm patch and noted the unit.

" You're with 'the' 3rd?"

Rogue sighed.

" Yeah. Ah am…"

The private's enthusiastic eyes became reserved, which alarmed Rogue.

" Somethin' wrong?"

" You're CO's Captain Alexander Bradford, right?"

Rogue nodded.

" Yeah."

Gina smiled.

" Well, I heard he's a handsome guy. Is it true?"

Rogue became nervous, and stuttered.

" Ah…Uh…"

Gina smirked.

" Don't worry. It's a legitimate question. I just want to know."

Rogue nodded slowly.

" Okay… Ah guess…"

Gina nodded, and smiled.

" My parents are thinking about letting me get married to him. It's going to be such an honor to be married to the son of the President!"

Rogue felt like puking her guts out at the disgust, but she held it back.

" Are yah gonna beh in OCS as well?"

Gina nodded.

" Yep! I was promised that I'll be assigned to his unit. Who knows? I might be your superior."

Rogue suddenly didn't feel great about talking with Gina. Apparently, she was a daughter of one of those 'damned politicians' as Alex put it. Just then, another woman came by.

" Sorry, 'Private' Gina… But can you even pass the OCS at all? You just came out of the basic training, and the only reason you're going there is because your father's Terrestrial Minister."

Gina looked at the woman who accused her of incompetence.

" Who the hell…"

Gina saw the woman and gasped, which Rogue didn't have a clue on what had happened.

" Are you going to finish what you said?"

Gina kept silent while Rogue tried to see who the woman was. She was a 1st Lieutenant, but her face didn't ring any bells. Rogue's eyes then trailed down to the name tag, and saw Bradford written on it.

" Excuse meh, ma'am. But who are yah?"

The woman sighed.

" That damned bastard. He runs his unit impeccably, but he neglects to tell his men that his own little sister is working in the military as well."

Rogue's eyes widened with shock.

" Yah're Captain Bradford's sister?"

The woman offered her hand with warm smile.

" First Lieutenant Elizabeth Bradford. But call me Liz."

Rogue tried to speak, but Liz stopped her.

" You're Corporal Rogue. I heard about you. My brother says you're quite brave. I certainly think so. Shooting down an enemy fighter with rocket launcher? Wow!"

Rogue stammered, until Liz sent Gina out of her seat and took it for herself. She then whispered to Rogue.

" I can see why my brother likes you…"

Rogue became confused.

" Like meh? What do yah mean? How can he like meh? Ah'm a…"

Liz hushed Rogue.

" Oh, I have my ways of knowing it. I've got to say. My brother has eyes for women, that's for sure."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will Operation Pharaoh be a success? How will Rogue and Liz get along?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	11. Chapter 11

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Rogue fastened the seat belt as the pilot came on to alert them on the landing sequence. Everyone felt the aircraft slowing down, and the gentle rocking as the landing gears touched down on the ground. Rogue looked at Lt. Liz Bradford taking the seat belt off and looking around. Along the way, Rogue saw the arm patch that Liz wore.

" Yah're a medic?"

Liz shook her head.

" Yeah… I was a doctor. That's why I'm working as a medic in this war."

Rogue followed Liz out of the aircraft and saw the bus waiting to take them to the OCS. Rogue took a seat towards the middle, and Liz turned around to seat next to her. Rogue then saw Gina sitting the seat in front of her. Gina turned around, with her jaws moving up and down while chewing a gum.

" What do you want, private?"

Gina sighed in frustration.

" You know, we should try to get along… Who knows? We might even be sister in law…"

Liz scoffed.

" I doubt Alex would go for a girl like you…"

Rogue sat quietly, not taking in any part of the conversation while the two women argued. She took out the newspaper, which in actuality was a sheet of plastic with buttons to scroll through the pages, from the netting in front of her and read through it. It detailed the recent victories in Africa and the New Los Angeles, giving credit to the new tactics and the zeal of the soldiers to defend their home. A lot of the articles were about the war, though there were small parts where it talked about social and scientific issues. She felt the bus slowing down and looked out the window. She saw a large complex with various buildings. There were soldiers exercising on one corner. Everyone who were not yet an officer looked at the building with awe, while the officers stared at it with reminiscence. It was where it all began for them. Liz got up with her duffel bag, and got out of the bus with the others. Rogue followed right behind her, not knowing what she was supposed to do. Rogue followed all the crowd into the building where each of them presented their orders. They were given quarters after the confirmation. Rogue presented her orders, which the sergeant took. He looked at it then gave Rogue a key.

" Follow Sergeant Wilson to your quarters. Welcome to OCS."

Rogue followed the stocky man up the stairs, where she ended up in third floor. Sgt. Wilson stopped in front of a room.

" Here you go."

Rogue opened the door, and found a woman already inside.

" Hi…"

Rogue stopped as the woman turned around to look at her roommate.

" Lieutenant?"

" Come in, Corporal…"

Rogue brought her belongings inside, and set them up against the bed.

" So, what are yah doin' here, ma'am? Ah mean, yah're already an officer…"

Liz smiled as she sat down on her bed.

" Well… I'm in charge of everyone's health during the course. Any injury, personal problem, and other things will be under my care."

Rogue nodded, and unpacked. She took the cover off of her weapons and laid them on the ground. Liz saw the scope on the rifle and smirked.

" Man! I thought my brother was interested in you, but I didn't know that much!"

Rogue looked at Liz.

" What do yah mean?"

Liz shook her head.

" That's the scope my brother just loves. He's practically possessive over it. Well, not like that dog tag of Jenny though…"

Liz came to Rogue, and pointed to a little scratch at the side of the scope.

" He made this mark to show that it's his. If he gave it up to you, then he really must like you a lot…"

Rogue didn't say anything. She just didn't know what to say.

" Anyways, want to talk about your experience? Combat I mean…"

Rogue smiled.

" Is it like a session with a psychologist?"

Liz nodded.

" That's exactly it."

Liz instructed Rogue to lay down on the bed, and she pulled her chair next to it.

" Well?"

Rogue smiled, and drew a deep breath to calm her nervousness.

" What do yah want meh to tell yah? Ah mean, Ah don't know what to say…"

Liz nodded, and glanced at the record for a moment.

" How about your injury?"

Rogue shrugged.

" Well… We went into rescue da 1st Platoon. On our way out, Ah decided to be at da rear… Ah guess one of da aliens grabbed hold of meh for a moment with its tentacle…"

Liz cocked her head.

" How did you feel about it?"

Rogue shifted a little.

" Angry. It was stupid mistake… Ah shouldda shot better…"

Liz nodded, then looked at the records again.

" How about when you discovered the human inside the alien armor?"

Liz saw Rogue becoming gloom. She paid much closer attention towards her 'patient.'

" Ah was scared… Especially when he…"

Rogue paused, trying to think whether she was right to call the man as he. She then decided that her initial judgment was correct.

" …especially when he made a noise when Ah opened da armor… Ah think Ah'm speakin' for de oders as well when Ah say dat we're somewhat hesitant about shootin'em…"

Liz thought for a moment, then nodded. She then got up.

" Well, how do you feel after letting it all out?"

Rogue shrugged.

" Ah don't know… Should dere beh some drastic change?"

Liz shook her head while smiling.

" I guess not."

Meanwhile, the troops in Cairo were having difficulties advancing as planned. The enemy fought back with more ferocity than usual, along with their apparent attempt to capture as many of them as possible alive. The Delta Company was spread out throughout the city, bogged down by the heavy resistance, and the electrical mines that were scattered throughout the street. The 3rd Platoon was pinned down across the street from the target building. The sniper positioned at the roof of the building was firing its weapon relentlessly, as if firing a machine gun down on them instead of picking them off one by one.

" Damn it! I've had enough! Lieutenant! Get that son of a bitch!"

Lt. Morris raised his sniper rifle, and zoomed in towards the roof. He saw two aliens firing constantly with almost no regards to what their were shooting at. The crosshair stopped a little above the collar bones, and Lt. Morris pulled the trigger. He saw the bullet striking the throat of the target, and falling to the ground. He quickly switched to the second one, who located Morris and shifted his fire. The second bullet from the sniper rifle hit the alien in its head, and the body fell back. The last of the blue ray struck the concrete column that Morris was standing behind. Lt. Morris shouted out loud as the adrenaline from the rush had reached high level.

" Whoo!"

With the two snipers dead, the mutants rushed towards the building. Alex got on the radio, telling his status.

" Sierra going in!"

" Copy Sierra-45."

The mutants stopped at the door, trying to listen in on what was going on inside. They heard nothing but the explosions from the streets surrounding them, which made Alex uneasy.

" It's too quiet…"

Alex turned to Logan.

" Can you sniff them out?"

Logan leaned closer to the door, and sniffed a bit.

" There's a lot of them inside."

Jean also gave her own assessment.

" They have at least two in every floor."

Alex thought for a moment, then looked at Jean.

" Are there any non-combatants?"

Jean shook her head.

" No."

Scott nodded, and turned to Scott.

" Blast them all. I mean, full power. Remy… Blow the door."

Remy nodded.

" Oui."

Remy touched on the door, charging it up to blow towards inside. Scott got his hands on the button on his helmet and got ready to fire as soon as the door blew up. The door finally blew inside, sending the sharp debris towards the enemy inside. The few that stood closer to the door were shredded by the sharpened metal door, while most of them were stunned from the explosion for a moment. Scott quickly acted by firing his red ray towards the ones who were still alive. The surviving aliens were slammed against the walls, with many of them breaking their backs, or other body parts on the edges of stairs or being crushed. Everyone rushed in to secure the first floor like they did the first time. With the same tactic, they began to clear the floors one by one while Logan, Piotr, and Charles provided cover on the first floor. They cleared the building sooner than before, enabling them to gather on the first floor to move to the next target building.

" Alright. Let's…"

Alex's words were interrupted as numerous explosions enveloped the building. Everyone took cover behind the wall to avoid the shrapnel. Alex poked his head around the corner to see what was going on. He took out his binocular and looked at the formation two hundred meters away.

" About two hundred infantry, and lots of mortars… Looks like we'll be pinned down here for a while… Let's set up a defensive position, and get ready to spend the night here."

The others moved to the position that would provide the best defense on all entry points. Alex and Lt. Morris placed the sniping position on the makeshift cover of large table that they dragged out of the storage room. Lt. Morris placed the bipod on the table, and looked through the scope.

" Looks like they're trying to surround us. Captain, we need to move out soon or else we'd be stranded here."

Alex looked through the binocular and nodded.

" Yeah… We should move out during the night. Okay. Forget settling down for the night. Get ready to move out."

The others nodded, and got the rucksacks on their backs again.

------

Rogue sat down among the man people in a large hall for two days now. The instructor named Colonel Collins was lecturing them again.

" …therefore, tomorrow we'll have an exercise on the field to evaluate your current knowledge…"

Rogue felt tired, even though she only listened to the lecture and took some notes. Some of the others yawned discreetly. With the shortage of the officers, the OCS had reduced the time it spent to teach the officers, making them depend most on personal experience to reference their leadership skills. When the lecture adjourned, everyone got out of the hall in mass. On her way to the cafeteria, Rogue met Gina, who yawned and stretched.

" That was really boring… I heard it over and over again for so long…"

Rogue tried to ignore Gina, who was talking with the other children of the top minister. However, Gina spotted the white stripe that stood out.

" Hey, mutie!"

Rogue closed her eyes, and continued her way to the cafeteria. Even though only two days had passed, these children acted like any other snobby preps back in high school a hundred years earlier. The only difference was that Rogue was inclined to ignore them for her own sake at returning to fight with her friends.

" Hey, mutie! Wait up!"

Rogue closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

" What is it?"

One of Gina's friends grinned. His expression didn't appeal to Rogue at all.

" Heard you're a decent shot… How about a competition?"

Rogue looked at the man, rather an older teenager, with suspicion. She grabbed the ration bag from the cafeteria and headed to her room with the preppies following her.

" Hey, you deaf?"

Rogue stopped in front of the door, and shook her head.

" No. Ah can hear yah just fine… Problem's tryin' to ignore yah while yah're talkin.'"

With that, Rogue opened the door, and went into the room. She grabbed her gear and weapons and came back out.

" Excuse meh…"

Rogue went down stairs to the first floor, and headed to the practice room. She signed her name on the list, and sat down to eat her lunch. She finished the meal quickly and threw the empty bag into the trash droid. When she got up to get into the practice room, the 'preppie' squad came in.

' God, damn it! Can't dey leave meh da hell alone?'

Rogue filled her pouches with live ammo and entered the shooting range. She cocked the rifle and her pistol and took a careful aim to one of the targets in front. She knew that there was a window to her back, allowing the others to see the shooters inside, as well as how well they shot. She glanced at her back to see the 'preppie' squad watching her.

' May beh Ah shouldda stayed in mah room…'

The targets began moving and Rogue took shots on the targets. Sending two bullets per target, and knocking them down one by one. When she ran out of rifle ammo, she quickly drew her pistol and shot the remainder with it. As the last target went down, the timer stopped, showing her and everyone the time and accuracy.

' Thirty-three targets in forty seconds, and 99.9 accuracy, huh? Not bad…'

Rogue got out of the room, and returned the empty magazines to the armory personnel. She sat down on the chair and looked up at the board. Her name was in the top five scorers in the current class. As soon as she checked the board, she went back to her room to hit the books. On her way out, she could hear the others mumbling things.

" She's good…"

" Where did she learn to shoot like that?"

Rogue could only thank Alex for the lessons, and little tips that he gave her.

' Thanks…Alex…'

Rogue returned to her room, and began reading the books assigned by the instructor. She found that she knew most of them through the first hand experience by watching Alex. So far, she was doing better than average in written tests. However, she worried about the field test. She didn't really know whether she would be ignored because she was a mutant. She shook the thought away, and concentrated on the book. She didn't want to embarrass the other mutants, nor Alex. She was sure that Alex would be somehow graded on how much he taught her. Liz saw Rogue studying hard, and decided not to interrupt. She was on the network, looking at the news regarding some setbacks on the operation in Cairo.

' Alex… You sure chose someone special this time…'

Liz remembered Jenny who was her friend, and almost a sister in law. Liz saw many qualities that she saw from Jenny in Rogue. The only difference was that Jenny didn't make it to being an officer because of her death, while Rogue was alive and well on her way to becoming one. Frankly, Liz was the only one besides Alex and Jenny to know of their engagement. Their father didn't know anything about it at all. Liz guessed that it was the reason why their father didn't like Alex much. She remembered Alex getting chewed out by their father when he found out that Alex was engaged to Jenny. To him, Jenny was an outsider. A daughter of a middle class merchant who joined the Security Force to pay for the college tuition. She was sure that her father was more angry about Jenny's status in the society than the secrecy of the engagement. She also understood that if her guess about her brother's feelings towards Rogue was right, then her father would also disapprove of it as well. Initially, Liz didn't see much in Rogue. She was quite solitary, and a kind of a loner, and she didn't like that. But when she saw the records, she began to open up a little. Rogue was the type of girl that her brother liked. She was quite surprised that her brother hadn't wrote to her about it in the letter at all. They had discussed a lot of things together, in fact, they discussed almost everything together. On one side, she felt betrayed. The eighteen year long trust was broken but on the other hand, she felt good about her brother finding someone else. It didn't settle good for her to see her brother glooming over Jenny. Liz then saw the marksmanship record that was posted and nodded her head.

' Impressive…'

Liz looked back Rogue who still read the book with intense determination. For a moment, Liz thought that Rogue's focus might burn a hole in the book.

" Hey."

Rogue didn't acknowledge, but continued to read and make notes. Liz turned the computer off, making the holographic display disappear. She then swiveled her chair around, and quietly crept up.

" Hey."

Rogue saw Liz's hand covering her sight, and finally acknowledged.

" Ma'am?"

Liz smiled, and pointed to the clock.

" Time for dinner."

Back in Cairo, the mutants lined up against the walls on both sides. The mortar barrage had subsided enough for Alex to feel it safe to move around. He poked his head around to see a lot of the enemy out of the streets. Slowly, he took cover again, and got on the radio.

" This is Sierra-45. Come in Watchtower."

" This is Watchtower. Go ahead Sierra-45."

Alex looked at the streets again, and continued.

" Request aerial recon on the vicinity of the Cerga building, over."

" Roger, Sierra-45."

Alex then heard a low hum of the recon drone flying around the building they were in. As it turned north, a blue ray came out from one of the buildings near the mortar site, and shot it down.

" Be advised, Sierra-45. Enemy still holding position. Will flush them out."

Alex then saw the blue glow of the afterburner of the fighters streaking towards the buildings. It dropped a large, dark canister with a pointy tip on to the street. The canister impacted on the buildings, and the fire engulfed it. He saw the blue rays firing wildly and waved his arm to advance.

" Move out."

Everyone converged into a single file and came out of the building. They moved in a fast pace towards the next building, all the while keeping their eyes open for any danger. Kitty, as well as everyone else, tensed up as their eyes were alerted by the shadows moving rapidly from the fire all around. Jean concentrated hard, trying to detect any aliens that might be around the area. Most of them used their abilities to cover each other. While Jean was trying to detect their presence, Logan also tried hard to either hear or smell any trouble. Wanda created a zone of hex around themselves to avoid some of the possible attacks. Alex then noticed the moon above, which glowed quite brightly and gave a pretty good illumination. He whispered to Ororo.

" Could you cover that up?"

Ororo nodded, and summoned the clouds between themselves and the moon. Alex felt as secure as they could be in the middle of the street full of enemy. He checked the map to the top left of the visor often. He then heard the other platoons of the Delta Company reporting their situations.

" Bravo-45. Holding position in checkpoint Hotel."

" Charlie-45. Holding at checkpoint November."

As the teams reported in, Alex noticed that Foxtrot team, the 6th Platoon didn't check in.

" What happened to Foxtrot?"

" Where are they?"

" Come in, Foxtrot-45."

After a while, Foxtrot-45, Lieutenant Yaminov finally checked in.

" Foxtrot-45. Holding at checkpoint India. Sorry for the delay. Had to take care of some pests…"

The other team leaders let out a sigh of relief. So far, many of them had advanced as scheduled, though most of them were lagging behind. Alex then heard Major Duncan, the mission commander, over the radio.

" Hold position for the other teams. We don't want you guys to be flanked."

" Roger."

Everyone found a good cover and hunkered down. As they settled down in the exposed basement, Pietro sighed.

" We moved all this way to abandon the comfortable building and spend the night here?"

Lt. Morris smirked.

" You'd rather get surrounded?"

" No."

Everyone set up the watch so that some of them could sleep a bit.

------

Rogue, and the other students gathered in full combat gear in the rain. Everyone seemed to be shivering, but they couldn't figure out whether it was from the cold or whether they were actually twitching from nervousness. Liz stood along side Colonel Collins who supervised the exam in full combat gear as well. The only difference was that they wore a poncho to keep themselves dry from the rain, while the students were drenched with rain.

" This is what you've been preparing for. This is your final exam. Each of you are assigned to a team. I've also elected the leaders for the teams as well. You are given only one objective: Survival. For the next two days, you'll be in the woods to survive from the other teams. All gears are available for your test, but the explosives and thermal mode in your visors. That includes your HE rounds as well. Any member shot by the paint rounds could be considered casualty and treated as such. Anyone wounded will be taken out of the exam. This is a matter of survival, people. The last remaining team will be the winner, and given choice assignments. That is all."

With that, the colonel left for the observation room with the other officers. There were ten teams of six, each of them receiving different color of paint rounds. They were rounded up to different spots of the forest. Rogue looked at her teammates who were getting their weapons ready, and checking their equipments. Rogue put the silencer on the barrel of the rifle. In fact, virtually every cadets attached the silencer to minimize detection. She gave thumbs up to signal that she was ready. The others did also, and the lean built sergeant of around thirty at the front nodded. He was designated as the leader of her squad. Rogue didn't mind at all. He wasn't the best, but everyone liked him. He was generally cool headed, and he was one of the only few who saw combat in Africa. They moved out quietly as their watch displayed the time when the exam will begin. The rain was pouring down in the woods, making more noise than the cadets moving around from various spots. The sergeant maneuvered the team to east, trying to find a suitable cover. They all turned on the night vision mode on their visors. Rogue covered the rear, as ordered by the her team leader. They stopped at a bush, and dug in for an ambush. The sergeant planned on waiting for another team to pass by in front of them. Rogue didn't like it one bit, but followed the order.

" If you see anyone, check in with me first."

" Okay."

Rogue didn't like the idea of staying in a hole. With the rain, she figured that they would move around more quickly and hit any other team before they could even figure out what was happening. They waited for hours in their hole, which began to fill with water.

Unknown to the cadets, the officers had a perfect view of the whole woods with their drones, and satellites. Colonel Collins scoffed as he saw the ten monitors, each monitoring a team.

" It looks like we're going to be here for a while…"

Liz nodded. She then looked at the other monitor to her left, which gave the weather forecast. The forecast was 99 sure that it would rain throughout the exam days. She then looked at the monitor for the Team 5, the one that Rogue was in. They were dug in not hundred meters away from the Team 3. In fact, the two teams had advanced toward each other throughout their maneuvers.

" So, lieutenant… Why do you think they're hunkering down?"  
Liz sighed.

" Well, they're pressured to survive the exam. Holding ground is the safest thing to do."

Col. Collins sighed.

" Most of them are regular units, right?"

A Major nodded.

" Yes, sir. Except for Corporal Rogue, they're all regulars."

Liz then looked at the Colonel.

" Sir, why didn't you put Corporal Rogue in charge of 5th team?"

Col. Collins sighed.

" Well, Sergeant Michelson outranks her."

Liz nodded, and sighed. She was sure that Rogue was frustrated right now. Hunkering down and waiting for the enemy to come wasn't Alex's style. He preferred to move around, flanking the enemy if he could help it. She was sure that Rogue was used to her brother's style, and this sort of 'sit around and wait' would strike her nerves. She then shook the thoughts away. She was judging what Rogue would feel by deducing from the psych evaluations and personality comparison to Jenny. In more accurate term. 'Jenny' was likely to be frustrated by the situation. All Liz could do was to wait and see.

Rogue scanned the rear through her visor, seeing the world of green. The rain had soaked down to her skin, and she began to shiver. She wanted to move around. As a matter of fact, she felt the urgent need to move around. She turned around to Sgt. Michelson.

" We can use da rain to cover our maneuvers."

Some of the others protested the seemingly absurd suggestion from the mutant.

" Are you crazy? We'll all be gunned down."

The rest came to Rogue's defense. However, their reason was the increasing level of unpleasantness as the rain fell on them. Rogue finally became frustrated.

" Alright. Yah guys who wanna move, follow meh."

Rogue and the men who wanted to move crawled out of their holes, and moved towards the next bush, which was ten meters to the left. From there, Rogue kneeled down, and looked at the others.

" Okay. We'll move quickly and swiftly. Try to flank any team dat yah see. Don't head straight for'em."

The others nodded. They were just glad that they were moving again, regaining their body temperature.

" Let's move out."

The officers saw Rogue and two others moving away from their foxhole, and maneuvering to the right flank of the Team 3. Col. Collins smiled as he let out a puff of smoke from his cigar.

" Looks like Corporal Rogue's going to start the thing for us… Let's see. Move Drone 4 to her position. I want to see how she handles things."

Liz also noted Rogue moving away from her team, and flanking the Team 3. Not long after, Rogue stopped her team and gestured the two to keep moving the path they were going. When the two moved away, Rogue crawled to the tree nearby, and took aim at the Team 3's position. The other two took cover behind trees on the other side of Team 3. Col. Collins let out a grin.

" Well… Time for round one."

------

Rogue heard from the other two that they were in position. Rogue took careful aim at the curved object that moved frequently. She then fired a shot, hitting the guy right on his helmet. His scream alerted the others, along with The remaining Team 5 members.

" What was that?"

" Sounded like a scream."

" Could it be?"

" Naw… That was a guy…"

While the remaining three were pondering about what was going on, Rogue and the two had taken care of the Team 3 on their own. Rogue took them away, and one of the Team 3 member saw Rogue and sighed.

" Damn it. Mutie's got us…"

The others groaned quietly at their misfortune.

" Where's the rest of her team?"

" I don't know, man!"

Col. Collins, and the rest of the officers scribbled some things on the notepad, while cheering at the action.

" Nice…"

Liz took note as well. She was surprised at her prediction that Rogue would move out independently. Drone 4 was still on Rogue from above. Col. Collins looked at the clock and sighed.

" It's only been five hours? I thought we already spent a day watching them…"

The Drone stopped as Rogue halted the team. The officers gazed into the ten monitors to see whether Rogue had found another team or not. Colonel was surprised as the camera revealed Team 1 about Fifty meters away. What's more, Rogue's small team was behind Team 1, who were watching towards South. This time, Rogue laid down on the ground, while the other two split up. Each of them took the flanks.

" What' is she up to?"

Everyone saw Rogue going to the tree and setting up something. The camera zoomed in, revealing a module.

" Smart…"

Rogue finished setting up the flashlight module for the rifle on the tree. She tied a cord around the body, just over the switch. She moved to the next tree, and laid down flat on the ground. She waited for a moment, then yanked the cord, turning on the flashlight. The sudden light drew fire from everywhere, including the machine guns that didn't have the silencer. Her ears quickly registered the sounds, and the general direction from where it was coming from. Her eyes saw the muzzle flashes from every position. She then began to pick out the Team 1 members one by one, helped by the other two who had already began firing. Soon, Team 1 was also taken care of. Rogue left the flash light on, and quickly maneuvered towards the nearest position that she saw. She came from the back, and poured shot gun shells on the team that was busy firing at the direction of the flashlight. She checked their vest from far away and sighed.

' Teams 1, 3, and 9 are gone.'

Rogue reassembled with the others, and took cover behind a bush. She then spoke with the other two, who were really excited at their accomplishment.

" We took out three teams already."

The other one gave thumbs up.

" You're bad ass, Rogue. If we win, I'm joining your platoon."

Rogue smirked.

" Lead yahr own team… Ah'll beh just an XO when Ah go back…"

Rogue checked the map on her visor, and marked the points where she thought she spotted the other team.

' Okay… Since dey all fired, Ah'm guessin' dey're movin' away from deir position…'

Rogue saw the mark closest to the Team 9 that she took down.

" Guys, aim towards where Team 9 was… Ah'm guessin' da team near by would wanna pay'em a little visit."

The others nodded.

The officers saw the rest of the cadets moving around now. They were moving towards the nearest spots where they saw muzzle flashes. Soon, various teams were engaged with each other. Major Matthews noted as he saw Team 2 going down.

" Cross off Team 2."

Soon, a lieutenant also commented.

" Cross off Team 4."

" Cross off the other half of Team 5."

As things began to heat up, Col. Collins smirked.

" Damn! That girl surely made my day. At this pace, we'll wrap it all up by dinner."

The other officers smirked. They liked the idea of wrapping it all up by dinner. They knew that if things dragged on, they'll miss the chance to have the steak that was going to be served as dinner while it was still warm. Liz noted the teams that were still on. She then read the names that were under each team. Private Gina's Team 10 was still out there in full strength. As of now, Team 10 was the only team without any casualty of its own. Just as she finished her thoughts, she heard Maj. Duncan announce again.

" Cross off Team 6, and 8."

Rogue's eyes scanned the woods for the other teams. She heard snapping of branches up until a minute ago, which had now stopped. She then saw a figure moving towards east to her right. She waited for a while, then maneuvered her teammates behind them. There were only four. She then made sure that they were the only four in the team, and signaled the other two to take aim on the two on the flanks. Rogue then took aim on the one closest to her, and the three squeezed the trigger. Rogue saw the paint round hitting her target, and quickly changed to the only guy left. She took him out as well, and then quickly moved away with the others. She counted the teams she had taken out, and counted about five more teams to go. She took cover behind the tree with the other two, and drank the water to quench her thirst. Her legs ached from constant movement, and she was running out of breath.

" Ah'm guessin' about five teams left. We should find a spot to set up a defensive perimeter for a while…"

Rogue and the other two took cover around the southwest corner of the exam area. As they tried to rest, Rogue saw a small column of sunlight poking through the dark clouds.

' Ah have to pass… Ah can't embarrass mah friends… '

Rogue thought of everyone in the 3rd Platoon who would be fighting for their lives right now. Frankly, the things were quite simple. More quickly she graduated, more quickly she got back to her friends to help them. As her adrenaline level came down, she felt like her legs were lead weights dragging her down. She touched upon her left calf to see how her wound was. She was pretty sure it had healed already, but she wanted to make sure.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The showdown between Rogue and the 'Preppie Squad' draws near. Will she come out on top in the end? Will she be able to join her friends in time to help them?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	12. Chapter 12

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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In a small room of concrete, the mutants stood guard as the sun began to set once again. For a day, they didn't make any progress but waited for the other teams to make progress of their own to meet the plans. Alex sighed as he checked the supplies for the third time.

" We're running short on water… Lieutenant Morris, how's the weather forecast?"

Lt. Morris sighed.

" If you're looking for rain, we're in the wrong region, sir. It'll be sunny for the next week. On the other hand, Corporal Rogue's going to have fun with all the rain."

" We should ask her to bring some…"

The others snickered.

" So, Captain… Will Rogue make it? I mean, is she going to be an officer?"

Alex smirked.

" Let's just say she'll make a scene… She'll be a far better officer than any of those bumbling idiots."

Pyro smirked.

" So, mates… When are those buggers gonna be here?"

The gunfire drew closer and closer as the moments passed by. It was apparent that they were making progress. What Alex worried about the pace of the 147th Mechanized. The sound that he was hearing, behind the rifle fires from the other infantry, were the mounted weapons going at it as if they didn't care about saving ammo. He looked at Lt. Morris, and he apparently shared the same feeling that the 147th would inflict far more collateral damage than all the infantrymen on the both sides combined. Alex's chief concern was the possibility that they would be gunned down by those trigger happy gunners on the Armored Personnel Carriers, and Mobile Armors which was a fancy term for the hovering tank that was now in service. He thought about throwing some marker on their position, but he decided against it. He was sure that those aliens would concentrate their fire on them if he did so. Alex saw the map on his display with the position of the various units on it. He looked around, trying to see what the others were feeling about it. He looked at Kurt who was watching out for anything suspicious. He was surprised at how he had adjusted to Kurt's physical appearance, which was quite shocking when he first saw him. The appearance of the demon itself made him quite afraid of approaching the blue skinned boy. However, once he got past the appearance, he learned that Kurt was quite angelic, a polar opposite of what his appearance suggested. Alex looked at the light condition outside, and sighed.

" Okay, guys… We move out in thirty minutes."

Alex walked while keeping his head low as possible to the spot opposite to Kurt.

" See anything suspicious?"

Kurt shook his head.

" Nein… I don't see anyzhing. It's almost too quiet…"

Alex nodded.

" I think so too…"

They thought of switching to thermal imaging, but decided against it. The buildings had absorbed so much heat from the sun that it was still covering the body heat from the enemy.

" Go take a break. I'll take over."

Kurt nodded, and crawled back to the safer position. He sat down, and finally let his tail frail about. He had it wrapped around his waist for so long that he felt the muscles cramping, which wasn't a very pleasant sensation to have. He grabbed the canteen and took a couple of gulps, then placed it back in the pouch. While he was resting, Logan crawled to Alex's position.

" So where's our next objective?"

Alex looked at the map in front of his eyes, seemingly scanning it. Soon, a green dot appeared in a block, and a thin green line that marked the direct path to the next objective. About half of the city was shaded blue, marking safe area, while the other in red for hostile environment. Alex then looked at the buildings to the west end, which gave him strange feeling as to what he would encounter. He had a bad omen about the area. It was older part of the city, featuring narrow streets that seemed to form a maze. Alex really hoped that they would be relieved by then.

" Let's move out."

In the meantime, Rogue's little team hid behind cover of the fallen tree trunks, and the rocks. They all felt fatigued from the constant movement, and felt like giving up for a moment. One of the other two, who was a corporal as well, whispered.

" So this is Special Forces, huh? It's tough…"

Rogue panted as well, but tried to keep it quiet like the others.

" Yeah… Well, don't get discouraged… Ah was more outta shape dan yah guys…"

The last one, a private, smiled.

" So what's the plan now?"

Rogue checked the map, and saw a small hill east of her position.

" Ah'm guessin' dey're at dis hill… Dey'll wanna get to higher ground to see better…"

The other two smiled.

" Makes sense to me."

" How about this other hill?"

Rogue shook her head.

" Too steep. We'd have heard'em."

Rogue then sighed. She couldn't think of any good plan on getting the other guys who had a perfect defensive position.

' How do Ah get'em?'

In the observation room, the officers saw the current positions of the two remaining teams.

" So who do you think is going to win, Major?"

Major Matthews smirked.

" Team 10, colonel. They got the advantage of number and position…"

Colonel looked at the monitor of Team 10, who were situated at the base of the hill, trying to move up to the peak.

" What about you, Lieutenant?"

Liz sighed, and looked at the remaining Team 5 members.

" Team 5, sir. They've been highly effective though out this exam."

Col. Collins smirked.

" Rooting for your roommate?"

Liz shook her head.

" Rooting for Captain Bradford in a way, sir. Corporal Rogue learned everything from him…"

Col. Collins nodded understandingly.

" I wonder what Alex would have done in this situation…"

Maj. Matthews smiled. Capt. Bradford was his old 'acquaintance' from the academy, who he regarded as one of the brightest. He, therefore, was saddened to hear that Alex fell into heavy drinking after losing many men. But looking at Rogue's performance, he believed that Alex was back to what he used to be.

" He would have moved to that other hill, and snipe the hell out of the Team 10 guys. The sun will be behind their back as they take their shots if she makes it there in time…"

Col. Collins smirked.

" The question is… Corporal Rogue as adapt as her CO? So far, she rose to the occasion, but I don't know if she'll think that far ahead."

Liz looked at the Team 5 monitor and sighed.

' Come on, Rogue… You can do it…'

Rogue looked at the map once more, and her gears. She saw the repelling rope that they had.

" Okay… We'll move to this hill…"

The private became surprised at Rogue's suggestion.

" You said it's too steep…"

Rogue smirked.

" You guys are from the Mountaineering Division, right?"

The two nodded.

" Yeah."

Rogue moved her pupils to the hill, and marked it.

" If some of us, if not all of us can moved dere, we can shoot down at da Team 10 guys. It'll work."

The other two cocked their heads, thinking about it. To them, the idea seemed crazy enough to work.

" Okay. Let's do it."

The three got up, and headed west for a while. They saw the steep hill, which seemed like a column with no other way to get up to the top than climbing up. The corporal tied the ropes and secured it to a specialized hook that resembled an arrow. Soon, the corporal assembled a cross bow by exchanging some of the components of his rifle. He aimed at the top, and then fired, sending the arrow deep inside the rocks.

" Okay. Let's go. Remember… Absolute quiet…"

One by one, they began to climb the rope. Rogue went up first, with her feet carefully stepping on the sides of the firm rocks to lessen any noise. She looked down between her knees towards the others, who seemed to be surprised at her skill. Rogue smirked as she continued to climb. She had to thank her boots for it. The superior traction it offered eased Rogue's efforts to climb. Soon she reached the top, and crawled towards the edge. As she heard the rope tightening again from the second climber, she whispered to the radio.

" Keep low as you come up. Don't stand or kneel, but crawl."

" Okay."

Rogue soon heard the second noise from the rope straining to keep its shape. Pretty soon, the other two laid on their stomachs next to Rogue.

" Okay. We'll fire on three."

Team 10, which now took position to observe the terrain felt confident in their works. Gina for one, was sure that they would win for sure. They had the advantage in numbers and firepower that they could dish out. Besides, their position allowed for them to cover a lot of the areas. Gina smirked, and looked at the others.

" So who do you think is the survivors so far?"

One of the others, who commented on Rogue's skills as marksman earlier, smirked.

" I think that mutie's still out there…"

Gina smirked, and raised her binocular, and scanned the grounds. The prospect of eliminating the mutant intrigued her. She then looked at the leader of the team, who scanned for the treetops.

" Sarge… What are you doing?"

Sergeant Charles Howards sighed.

" I don't think that mutant's that dumb as you give her credit to be. If she's still out there, she'll…"

Sgt. Howards squinted his eyes as he looked at the top of the hill that had the sun behind it. The glare and the orange light obstructed his view until he heard the loud pop of the paint shell exploding against his helmet. He fell back from the impact, then played dead as per rules of the exam. Gina quickly looked around, trying to find the source of the shots. One by one, they all went down, until Gina looked at the same direction that Sgt. Howards was watching. By now, the sun had disappeared behind the hill, and she saw three figures laying down on the ground at the edge of the hill. Gina managed to raise her rifle, but heard the splat of the paint round impacting on her helmet. Gina fell backwards, and groaned in frustration.

" Damn it!"

Rogue ejected the magazine she had and fed the next one. She was about to order the others back down the hill when Col. Collins came on the radio.

" Exam is over. Good job, Team 5. You've passed the final exam. Wrap things up and come to the southern end of the woods. Command out."

Rogue breathed hard and looked at the other two with smile.

" We did it, Rogue!"

" Alright!"

They all came down to the surface, and walked to where they were ordered to show up. They saw the others smiling at them.

" Good job."

Rogue then saw Sgt. Michelson, and shook her head.

" Ah shouldn't've left yah guys alone… Ah should've taken yah guys along…"

Sgt. Michelson shook his head.

" We should have followed you."

Just then Col. Collins, along with the other officers came to them with six boxes.

" Congratulations…Lieutenant Rogue…"

Col. Collins opened the box to reveal two golden bars, and handed them to Rogue's hand, and subsequently, to every cadets who passed after meeting the requirements for graduation. Afterwards, they all took oaths to take their commission. The rest were supposed to wait for another time, which was unlikely. After everyone else got their rank pins, Maj. Matthews held another box.

" We've seen things in today's exam that we haven't seen for about three years. All thanks to a certain soldier who displayed personal initiative, and courage, along with leadership. It has been the tradition to honor such individual, and this session's individual is newly commissioned Lt. Rogue. Step forward."

Rogue took a step forward, where Lt. Bradford and Col. Collins handed her a medal signifying that she has graduated at the top of her class. Rogue shook hands with the two officers, and gave a crisp salute. Afterwards, everyone went back to their rooms. Most of them stripped out of their gears and took a long shower to get the stink of battle off of their body, while the other quickly celebrated with soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages. Rogue stood in front of the showerhead, and let the hot water relax her muscles. She then looked down at her calf, and saw it completely healed without any scars. She came out of the showers with the bathrobe around herself to see Liz standing in front of her with a letter.

" You're assignment… You'll be the Executive Officer for my brother. But I guess you've figured that part out already, huh?"

Rogue smiled.

" Ah don't think dey'd send meh to oder units anyways…"

Liz offered a can of soda, and the two sat down on the chair.

" So, has my brother made any advances?"

Rogue slowly shook her head. Even though she thought of the incident back in the desert, she denied it.

" No… Not really…"

Liz scoffed.

" Well, that's unlike him… I thought he would have at least kissed you or something…"

Liz then looked at Rogue, who began to blush a bit. Liz smirked, and placed her hand on top of Rogue's.

" Take care of my brother…"

Rogue held Liz's hand, and smiled.

" Okay…"

Liz let Rogue change back into another set of uniform, while she looked outside where some of the newly commissioned officers were gathering up for the bus. She then heard Rogue stripping her weapon to clean it. Rogue soon finished cleaning, and reassembled it.

" So… I guess this is good by…Lieutenant Rogue…"

Rogue nodded.

" We'll see each oder again…Ah hope."

Liz then turned on the computer, and showed the latest information on the battle in Cairo.

" We've got about two thirds of it back. Alex and the 3rd Platoon's here."

Rogue saw a blue dot at the spot almost behind the lines.

" So what's da problem?"

Liz the pointed out the two dots at the outskirts.

" They're having problems because of the more maze-like environment. Besides, the resistance would be a lot greater now…"

Rogue nodded.

" So when do Ah get back?"

Liz shrugged.

" I don't know… You could as Colonel Collins about it. He'll know more."

Alex and the mutants were stuck in a building, pretty much surrounded by the constant barrages from the captured mortars. He sought air support like the last time, but the command explained that there were similar situations all around the front.

' Son of a bitch! We'll get slaughtered like this…'

The only good thing was that they linked up with 1st and 5th platoons of the 104th Infantry Divisions. It helped in a way to re-supply and rest a bit, but Alex knew there were a lot more things that he needed to push forward.

" Ed!"

Captain Edward Lowell, in command of the 1st and the 5th platoon came to him.

" Yeah?"

" They can't give us air support! We're stuck here for a while!"

Capt. Lowell looked at his men, and then looked at Alex.

" Can they at least drop some supplies? We're running out of medical supplies! And the wounded are piling up!"

Alex saw the six men groaning from pain. Most of them were hit by shrapnel from the mortar rounds. He then looked around, and counted his men. Only Wanda was wounded from his unit. She had suffered a minor wound to her face just above the right eye, which the resulting bleeding interrupted her sight for a while. Cpl. Hodges was working on her now.

" Robert!"

Lt. Morris came to them.

" Sir?"

" Do we have any heavy weapons?"

Lt. Morris shook his head, and Capt. Lowell pointed to the wrecked hunk of metal that used to be an Armored Personnel Carrier.

" They're in there! We didn't have the chance to take them out yet!"

Alex looked at the mortar rounds landing on the streets, turning it into unpaved dirt path section by section as it exploded.

" Alright, cover me! I'll get it!"

Capt. Lowell hollered.

" Are you crazy? You'll die as soon as you step out of the building!"

Alex sighed, and looked at Kitty and Kurt.

" Kurt! Kitty!"

The two came back after being relieved by some of the 104th guys.

" Sir?"

" I want you to get as much of the heavy weapon out of that APC as possible!"

Kitty and Kurt nodded, and moved to the front door. They grabbed their hands, and Kitty phased themselves. They walked to the APC under heavy bombardment. The shrapnel flew through them, and the dirt passed through them. The men from the 104th watched with awe until the two mutants entered the APC. Next, they heard the puff and Kurt, along with Kitty appeared before them with virtually every arsenal inside the APC. Alex then turned to his men.

" Fire them! We need to take those mortars out!"

Logan, Piotr, Remy and Scott grabbed a launcher each, and fed the first round. They zoomed the sight in as much as they could, and finally aligned it with the mortars One by one, they let loose one round each, destroying the havoc that had been impeding their progress. The smoke that filled the room faded away soon after, and everyone saw the mortars thinning out somewhat. Alex then checked the map again. They were still at the apex of the advance, though a lot of the other units had made progress. Alex then looked at the others.

" Conserve your ammo! Shoot only what you can hit!"

------

Rogue gazed out to the Atlantic Ocean once again in the transport aircraft. She then looked around to see a lot of her classmates. Most of them were those who failed to pass, while some of them, like Lt. Gina Roseberg, were going to head their own units. She then looked at Lt. Sands, and Bernards, who were with her on the hill to take the victory. They had signed up for 3rd Platoon, which was denied. In turn, they were assigned to 5th Platoon of the 104th Infantry Division. They were somewhat excited at their assignment, but unsure of their new role as the officers. In fact, almost everyone in the aircraft felt that way. Rogue looked at Gina, who was assigned to 3rd Platoon like her. Rogue then took out the letter that she received from Col. Collins, who've instructed her to give to Lt. Morris. She wanted to read it, but decided against it for countless times. Gina sat next to Rogue, and smirked.

" Well, well, well… We're going to serve under Captain Bradford, huh?"

Rogue just kept her eyes closed, and tried to sleep.

" Go to sleep, Gina. We'll get back into fight as soon as we arrive…"

Gina scoffed, and chatted away with the others.

' God damn it… Why da hell was she assigned to mah unit?'

They flew for hours, until the pilot came on.

" We're landing in ten minutes! Strap in!"

They all sat up straight, and put the belt on. The aircraft finally landed on the airfield, and the rear hatch opened up. The colonel looked at them.

" Lieutenant Rogue?"

Rogue saluted.

" Sir."

The colonel sighed, then looked at Gina. He returned the two's salutes, and led them to the situation room.

" Your team is behind enemy lines as of 0200 today. The damned bastards flanked them in the night. We're sending an armored rescue column down to them."

Rogue looked at the map, and began tracing her finger down the known enemy positions.

" Seems like dey're underground…"

The colonel looked at the map, then looked at the satellite photo near the position that Rogue pointed out.

" So that's where they came out of. They've been using sewage as their hide out."

Gina then added.

" And the sewage leads to every corner of the city…"

" My god… The main forces will be flanked…"

Rogue looked at the colonel.

" Sir, permission to insert behind the lines to link up with 3rd Platoon."

The colonel thought about it, then nodded.

" Granted. Lieutenants, you'll get into the transport aircraft with ammo and supplies."

The two loaded themselves further by getting a rucksack on their backs, and hopping into the transport craft. Rogue saw the pilot and smirked.

" How're yah doin', chief?"

" Welcome back, lieutenant…"

" Yah have da thin' Ah asked for?"

" Hell yeah. Got about three of them."  
The aircraft took off, and thundered towards Cairo. On the way, Rogue looked at the supplies, and then got on the radio.

" Sierra-45, this is Sierra-23. Come in, Sierra-45."

Alex was dazzled at the number of the enemy that had surrounded them when he heard the familiar voice.

" Rogue?"

" Roger."

" Where are you?"

He then heard the desperate voice.

" Inbound on transport aircraft. Will drop in yahr position with supplies and intel. ETA 4 minutes."

" Copy."

Alex turned to the others, and held up four fingers.

" Four minutes! Four minutes until re-supply!"

Everyone continued to fight. Most of them were down to two or three magazines, while Piotr and Logan were out of ammo. They resorted to scavenging the weapon off of the dead, and began firing conservatively. Alex's mind raced as he thought of Rogue. He didn't know whether she had failed or not, and the present situation didn't really give time for him to think further. They took down the enemy one by one, and their bodies began piling up about ten meters away from their positions. Alex then began worrying about those bodies exploding. If it did, he was sure that some of them would fly closer in, and explode from there. He couldn't take that risk at all. He pulled out his grenades and began chucking it towards the carcasses that piled up to blow them away from their position. The explosion sent most of the corpses back. Just then, some of them began exploding, and fortunately, worked in the humans' advantage. Soon, they heard the jet engine, and the enemy fire concentrating on the transport aircraft. He saw Rogue and someone else as it passed by once. When it finally landed on the second pass, The two came out hauling supplies and ran into the building.

" Welcome to the party!"  
Rogue smirked.

" Ah wouldn't miss it for da world!"

Rogue then led Alex and Capt. Lowell to some place quieter and began to brief them.

" We've found out dat dey're hidin' in da sewers, and dat's why dey popped outta nowhere and flanked yah like dey did last night. Sir. Permission to lead a small team to flush'em out."

In a chaotic situation, Alex noted the golden bars on Rogue's collars.

" You made it? You're a lieutenant?"

Rogue nodded, then saw Lt. Morris coming in.

" Wounded are loaded up into the transport, sir."

Rogue looked back down at Alex, and saw him nodding.

" Go ahead. Take Logan, Scott, Jean, Remy, and Kurt with you."

Rogue nodded, and went to fetch them. While she was doing so, Alex saw Gina.

" Who are you?"

Gina saluted crisply as she could.

" Lieutenant Gina Roseberg, sir. Also coming for your unit."

Alex then sighed.

" You're not the daughter of the Terrestrial Minister, are you?"

Gina nodded.

" Yes, I am."

Alex's eyelid twitched a little, then pointed to the spot held by Piotr.

" Get machine gun ammo to him. He ran out. Also, hold that position."

With that, Alex went to the stash of ammo and filled his pouches with it. He then handed them out to everyone. Gina grabbed the ammo boxes and took it to Piotr. She then saw the patch of the 3rd Platoon on his upper arm.

" Hey! Here's ammo!"

Piotr turned around, and grabbed the ammo boxes. He quickly fed it to his machine gun that was next to him, and began to mow down the incoming enemy for a while, then yelled back in his Russian accent.

" Thank you, Lieutenant."

Gina looked out the little crack to see the enemy. Frankly, it was her first time, and she became afraid. She then saw Rogue standing by the back door. She had about five men with her, ready to head out. She then saw Alex ordering everyone around there.

" Cover fire in three!"

Everyone took more comfortable position, and waited for the count.

" Three… Two… One… Go! Go! Go!"

Rogue and the five others headed out of the door under heavy volume of gunfire, turning right and hopping over the stair case to save time. When they disappeared from the sight, the door was closed again. Piotr then saw Gina dazed and tapped her shoulders.

" Fire your weapons, ma'am!"

Gina snapped out of her confusion and began to fire in bursts in full auto mode. Alex, who looked back to check up on things, saw Gina's firing discipline, and sighed.

' Damn newbies! Damn politicians!'

Alex fired his weapon until he heard the click. He drew his pistol and fired at a few, then loaded up on the rifle again. He then pumped a few HE rounds towards the corners of the buildings, then fired at the others with rifle rounds.

------

Rogue had led the small team around the enemy position, sneaking past them by following narrow alleys and ducking into buildings without firing a single shot. She then checked the map to see her pre-determined insertion point, which laid in front of her eyes. She twisted open the sewer lid, and looked down with the night vision. She smelled the usual stink of the sewers, and began to climb down the ladder. She kneeled down on a cover position then heard Logan closing the lid. They were surprised that their night vision didn't work anymore. Rogue gestured for them to use the thermal imaging. Everyone turned it on, turning the world in front of their eyes into a world of bright colors indicating heat. Rogue then lowered the detection range, and moved out carefully. They all heard the rumbling of the explosion above, and the splashing as the aliens moved around to climb up. She looked around the tunnel, trying to get the bearing on where the aliens were. She looked to her left and thought that she saw one of them, but didn't fire. Soon, the image faded, and Rogue sighed quietly. She attached the light modules, and gestured the others to do the same. They didn't turn the light on, hoping that their eyes would get used to the darkness in due time. They waited in pitch dark for a while until Rogue turned on the flashlight. She then signaled Logan to turn his on as well. As for the others, she ordered them to keep theirs off. They continued to advance slowly, trying not to make any noise. Rogue stopped at a corner, and peeked around. She saw a bunch of aliens moving towards her. She leaned against the wall, and waited for awhile, hoping that the aliens would turn around and head back. The mere minutes felt like hours as the footsteps stopped near Rogue, and turned back. Rogue sighed, and looked around the corner to make sure that things were clear. She then took out a small container about the size of two liter soda bottle, and set it against the wall. She then adjusted some of the buttons, and turned to the others.

" Move out."

They followed Rogue to the some other place. As they came closer to the hideout, they saw the bio-material that made up the armors covering up the walls. Rogue became hesitant to step into them, but decided that she would risk it.

" Mr. Logan, follow meh."

The two advanced into the foreign material covered section of the sewers while the others covered the spot. Remy scanned the areas to make sure nothing had crept up behind him. They waited patiently until they felt the tap on their shoulder.

" Let's go back."

They retreated back to the stronghold, following the same route. As they passed by the device that they set up, Rogue glanced at the device to make sure it was as she left it. She opened the sewer lid, and looked around the vicinity.

" Clear."

One by one, they all walked out of the hole. Rogue waited with her side leaning against the wall to get everyone out. She saw Logan coming out, and taking cover. They waited for a while, then began to move. Each of them looked after each other, taking turns to advance. Rogue leaned against the corner, and peeked around, trying to assess the situation back at the building. She was amazed at the amount of the corpses that littered the streets in front of the building.

" Sierra-45, dis is Sierra-23. We've set up incendiary and are coming back. We need cover fire, over."

Alex heard Rogue's voice again, and sighed in relief. He began to worry as she didn't report back for over two hours.

" Roger, Sierra-23."

Alex looked at the others, and then tapped Capt. Lowell's shoulder.

" I need your men to provide cover fire as well!"

Capt. Lowell nodded, and gave instructions to the others. Everyone started to fire more intensely, providing an almost impenetrable wall of bullets to cover Rogue's team as they moved in. Rogue entered the building behind the others, and kneeled next to Alex.

" It's ready!"

Alex looked at everyone, then yelled out loud.

" Fire in the hole!"

Alex flipped the switch on the remote detonator, and ducked along with the others. The ground shook violently as the fire engulfed the air underneath them throughout the sewage system. The manholes began to emit sparks, and the lids began to glow red as it absorbed tremendous heat. In no time, the lids exploded out of its casing, and flew into the air. With the lids off of its place, a stream of fire erupted high into the air as well. Pyro saw the flame, and quickly controlled it. He used the flame to eliminate some of the aliens still roaming about. When the fire died out, everyone looked out of the windows, and saw the charred bodies everywhere, and the smell of burnt flesh lingered in the streets. Everyone watched with horror at what they have done. The sight of the charred bodies frightened everyone. Even though they were the enemy, the overwhelming smell and the image stunned everyone. Alex looked to his men, and saw Rogue horrified the most. He then contemplated that it was probably her idea to burn the sewers.

" Lieutenant Rogue…"

Rogue stood dazed for a while, then snapped to attention at Alex's calling.

" Sir?"

" You saved us all…"

They felt the rumblings, and the engine sounds of the rescue convoy arriving from the east. As the vehicles stopped around the building, Alex decided that it was time for them to continue on with their jobs. They were close to reclaiming Cairo, therefore he still had a mission to accomplish. He was about to order everyone to continue when he saw someone coming out of the rescue convoy, which proved to be useless.

" Captain Bradford!"

Alex looked at the man, and saw the colonel in charge of the African Front.

" Sir…"

Colonel returned the salutes of every men, and women quickly and tapped Alex's shoulder.

" 3rd Platoon is relieved. You guys are to return to the capitol."

Alex stood dumbfounded with everyone else. They were so close to reclaiming Cairo, but the top guys wanted them out. Alex looked at colonel's eyes to seek explanation. He then shook his head.

" This must me a mistake… We're close to liberating…"

The colonel shook his head.

" I know, captain. But orders are orders. You've earned the rest. By the way, Lieutanant Rogue. Did you hand the letter to Lieutenant Morris?"

Rogue shook her head, and then handed the letter to Lt. Morris who took it with curiosity. He read it for a while, then saw his hands trembling. Everyone else began to ask questions.

" What is it, lieutenant?"

" Yeah, what is it?"

Lt. Morris sighed.

" I've got a unit of my own… 9th Platoon…"

The colonel gestured to the battered, and beaten men. Alex finally succumbed, and ordered his men into the APC's.

" Move out!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The leaving of Lt. Morris, sudden orders to return, what is going on? What is the purpose of pulling out?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	13. Chapter 13

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Everyone returned to the base camp and dropped their gears on the floor. A lot of them were exhausted from the three week long fight that they just endured. Rogue sat down on the sand alone for a while, unable to forget what happened. It seemed like a minute ago when she had just said farewell to Liz, but things quickly returned to being hellish. As she looked around the base, Alex came out of the tent, and sat next to Rogue.

" So, how are you doing?"

" Not really well, sir… Ah don't know if Ah'm ready to get back at dis…"

Alex sighed.

" It hurts, doesn't it?"

Rogue nodded without any words. Alex nodded for a while, then sighed.

" What's scary is… It'll go away… You'll just get used to it… Like I did…"

Rogue stared into Alex's eyes, seeking some kind of explanation. Instead, Rogue saw Alex smiling back at her.

" So, meet anyone else besides Lieutenant Roseberg?"

Rogue nodded.

" Met yahr sister… Which yah forgot to mention…sir."

Alex smacked his forehead with his hand, and sighed.

" Sorry about that… I should have told you… So, how did you two get along?"

Alex was worried that his sister would disapprove of Rogue, though he highly doubted it. Even so, he was surprised at Rogue's answer.

" Well, she and Ah got really close… She asked meh to take care of yah…"

Alex smiled nervously for a while, then sighed.

" Whew! And I was so worried…"

Alex and Rogue's little conversation was cut short as Gina came out of the tent, and sat between them. Gina twirled her short orange-red hair for a while, then looked at Alex.

" So, captain… What do we do when we get state side?"

Alex took out his cigar, and chewed off one end, and spat it out. He then placed the other end in his mouth, and lit the chewed off tip. He drew in a puff of smoke, and let it out. The bluish smoke trailed towards west as it followed the wind. Gina looked at Alex and then smiled.

" How about we go to the officer's club?"

Alex shook his head slowly and then looked at both Gina and Rogue.

" We better pack up, don't you think? We can always sleep in the plane…"

With that, Alex left for the base HQ to check the flights available. When Alex disappeared from their sight, Gina turned to Rogue.

" What were you doing talking with him anyways?"

Rogue didn't say a word, but turned around to go back into the tent. Gina groaned in frustration as Rogue disappeared into the tent. She looked around the desert for a while, then got back into the tent as well. Everyone was busy packing. Even Lt. Morris was packing to go to the states to take command of the new 9th Platoon. By the time Alex came back, everyone finished packing. Alex nodded and picked up his gear as well.

" I just check in with the HQ back in the states. Apparently we're given about a month of leave… I don't know why, but we're taking a well needed rest. Come on. The transport's waiting for us."

They marched in a orderly manner to the airfield, where a large transport aircraft was parked with its engines still running. When they sat down on the second floor on the comfortable chairs, the wheels on the landing gear began to roll forward, until the whole aircraft gained enough speed to take off. Alex looked around the cabin to see everyone already trying to sleep. He then saw Rogue looking at him, and returned a quick smile. He waited until the plane leveled off and got out of his seat to move to the seat next to Rogue. He sat down, and looked into Rogue's green eyes, which were happy that he was watching her. He looked around the cabin quickly, trying to see what the others were doing. Most of them were either sleep, or trying to sleep. He turned back to Rogue and whispered.

" So how do you feel to be an officer?"

Rogue looked at the others, and sighed.

" Ah feel more responsible towards mah friends… Bein' in 'charge' of 'em and all…"

Alex then looked around the cabin one more time, then spoke.

" Well, there's that…and all the reports that you have to fill out…"

Rogue saw Alex's hazel eyes spark with flame. His eyes were more passionate, as if feelings that he had cast aside during the battle returned. Rogue looked around the cabin as well to see that everyone was asleep now. Rogue leaned closer, drawn by Alex's eyes.

" Den where's da benefit in bein' da officer?"

Alex smiled, and leaned closer as well.

" Well, there's the officer's club…"

Rogue giggled quietly.

" What else?"

They were now just inches apart from each other. They felt each other's breaths warm up their skin. Alex then answered Rogue's question.

" And, this isn't against regulation anymore…"

Alex's lips met with Rogue's, feeling the tiny trembling that resonated through his own skin. His eyes looked at Rogue's, which trembled with surprise, nervousness, and pleasure. Then, Alex felt Rogue becoming more willing, with both surprise and nervousness melting away. They continued to exchange their feelings, all the while trying to keep quiet.

In the White House, President Bradford looked over the reports of the recent battles through out the world. He sighed and threw the sheets on the desk. The whole war was going better than expected. The territories were being liberated little by little, and his military was being built up again. The next generation of the weapons were being shipped from the European laboratories across the ocean, and the labs near by. He looked at the first sheet among the many, which described making a new armor to prevent casualties from the enemy's energy weapons. They were all plans, but were good ones that had the hopes of everyone up in the air. He then checked the reports about his son's mutant platoon. They now had a mutant officer serving under Alex. He cringed at the words written. He then looked at the part where it reported that Terrestrial Minister, Carl Roseberg's daughter, Gina Roseberg had also joined the 3rd Platoon as a lieutenant. He smiled with pleasure as he remembered seeing Gina and Alex playing together when they were young. Gina was the girl that he planned on letting his son marry. He believed that Gina's status as the daughter of a top minister in his cabinet, and other attributes suited Alex well. When he found out that Alex was engaged to the middle class girl who didn't have any prestige, power, or any other benefits to him and the seat of the presidency, he was furious. The fact was that he had personally ordered Alex and his unit to return. He was planning on announcing the engagement between his son and the Terrestrial Minister's daughter, which would provide him with more centralized power. He was also planning on his daughter, Elizabeth's marriage as well. He was looking for a suitable bachelor, but it was hard to find in this chaotic war where young men were dying almost every moment. He then heard the intercom ringing, and the voice of his personal secretary.

" Lieutenant Elizabeth Bradford is here as requested, Mr. President."

Michael Bradford sighed, and answered the call.

" Send her in."

He put away every Top Secret documents away, and relaxed. Soon, the door opened, and his daughter came in. When the door closed behind her, Liz relaxed as well.

" Father."

The president got up, wearing a smile that was rare by any standards.

" Liz. Come. Sit here with me."

Liz sat down on the sofa, with her father in front of her. She placed her hat on the table, and saw the servant coming in with teas.

" So father, why did you ask for me?"

The president sighed.

" You were always to the point… I've called your brother's unit back here for a month of leave. I want him to get some rest, and as he reported…get his men to rest as well."

Liz took a sip from the cup and smiled.

" Well, that's not the only reason you called me here, is it?"

The president leaned back, and nodded.

" I've arranged for your brother to be engaged… I was wondering about you. You should get married as well, don't you think?"

Liz's ears caught the word engagement.

" With who? Who is it that Alex is getting engaged to?"

Liz saw her father twirling the cup, and finally stopping to tell her.

" Gina Roseberg."

Liz then remembered Rogue blushing as she asked about Alex and Rogue's relationship.

" Gina? She's…"

Liz was interrupted.

" Gina and Alex got along really well when they were young. I think they would get along well now…"

Liz placed the cup on the table, and sighed.

" Father… What you don't know is that Gina and Alex came apart when they left for college. I mean, I'm sure Alex found someone already…"

" Really? Who might that be?"

Liz shrugged.

" I'm just telling you. He 'could' have a girlfriend right now."

The president sighed, and gathered his hands together.

" Well, I'm going to have to ask him about that…"

------

The transport aircraft loitered around the airbase, flying in circles to get permission to land. Alex and Rogue looked out the window while the others did the same in their seats. The sky was void of clouds, enabling them to see the city in a completely different view. The aircraft began to descend, making everyone to get in their seat belts. Logan and Ororo looked at each other with some sense of relief. Even though Capt. Bradford was in charge of them, they were the oldest members now. They felt obligated to protect these 'kids' as best as they could. Everyone had short stubbles of hair grown like the Marines of the time they were frozen, which they were now allowed to keep. Logan took a deep breath as the plane landed smoothly on the runway. He looked at Rogue, who was seating with Alex. He then began to think why Alex chose Rogue to be the officer. He bought the reason that Alex gave them, which was that Rogue had connections to the two main groups in the platoon. However, looking at Alex and Rogue together, he believed that there was something else on top of it. His eyes then rested on Gina, who was staring at Rogue and Alex. Logan then looked to the seat across the aisle from him, where the big Piotr and little Kitty were focusing towards their front. Piotr turned to Logan and nodded. He then looked to the front, where Scott and Jean seemed to be doing the same thing that Piotr and Kitty were doing. To their right, Pietro and his friends stared at outside, talking loudly about something. As the aircraft stopped in front of a hanger, Alex and Rogue got out of their seats.

" Okay. You know what to do…"

And everyone did. They were to unpack their gears in the barracks designated by the base commander, and remain there until further orders. The four officers, including Lt. Morris, walked out first, with their gear. When the others started down the stairs, they saw Lt. Morris talking with Alex.

" It's been a real pleasure to serve under you, Captain."

Alex smiled.

" No. It has been my pleasure to serve with an experienced XO like you, lieutenant."

They exchanged a salute, and handshake.

" You show those newbies how it's done."

" Yes, sir!"

With that, Lt. Robert Morris grabbed his gear, and looked at the others.

" We'll see each other again, I hope…"

The tall, well built man with the graying hair waved his hands while he walked away towards the bus that was waiting for him. The mutants gathered around the three officers, and watched their friend disappear behind the buildings. Fred Dukes chocked up in tears, and murmured.

" Good bye, sir…"

Rogue grabbed the sniper rifle that Robert handed her, and sighed. She squeezed her hands, trying to reassure herself that she can fill the big shoes that Lt. Robert Morris left behind for her. They all shouldered their weapons and walked into the hanger, where a few of senior officers were waiting for them.

" Captain Bradford?"

Alex and the others saluted.

" Sir."

" Welcome back, captain. Your platoon will be quartered in Barrack number 5. Also, there is a message for you from the president."

When the senior officers tried to walk away, Alex stopped them.

" Sir, what about the psych evaluation for my men?"

" It's arranged as you requested. It will start tomorrow at 1100. Lieutenant Bradford will the medical officer for the evaluation."

Alex and the others saluted for one last time, and moved towards their barrack. On the way, they saw some of the other units taking a short break from combat. Most of them, if not all, were regular units. Alex knew that most of the Special Operations units were out on the front, spearheading any plan that was in the works. He opened the door to the barrack to see some of the men from the other unit already occupying some of the rooms.

" What the hell?"

Alex looked through the room, and found about a quarter of the rooms already had an occupant. He then walked to one of them.

" Where's your unit?"

Alex looked at the patch, and saw the chevrons of a private. The private didn't answer, which caused Alex to get more angry.

" I asked you where's your unit, private!"

Before the private can say anything, another man, who was occupying the room across the hall came in.

" We're from the 8th Battalion, Alpha Company, 72nd Assault Infantry Division, sir."

Alex eyed the other man, who was a sergeant.

" Okay, sergeant. Where's your CO?"

The sergeant shook his head.

" We don't have a CO, sir… Not after the mission in Asia."

Alex sighed, and looked around for a paper assigning these men to this barrack. He read the paper, and ordered his men to occupy the remaining rooms. Quickly, each of them grabbed the room of their choosing, until some of them were left standing in the hallway. Among them were Logan, Ororo, and Pyro.

" Oi! What's with this, mate?"

Alex came out of his room to see Rogue coming out of hers with her gear. She placed it against the wall, and walked towards Alex.

" We need to share some rooms, sir…"

Alex nodded, and placed Pyro in the same room with Remy, while placing Ororo and Logan in the room that Rogue came out of. He then looked at the other rooms, trying to find some room for Rogue. He looked at Gina's room, which also had two beds, and showed Rogue in.

" You two lieutenants will have to share the room."

Alex then went into his own room. He knew that there would be a possibility of a friction between Gina and Rogue, but he had to risk it. He couldn't let Rogue sleep with those 72nd Division guys, and he couldn't let her sleep in his room either. He threw sat on the chair and read the message waiting for him.

Rogue settled on the bed, and took off the top part of the desert camo. She sat down on the bed, and took off her boots as well. She laid down on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Gina did the same thing, trying to relax from the intense combat that she had just experienced. For Gina, it was her first true battle in a war. Ever since she heard the first burst of electricity striking the small transport aircraft that she was riding, Gina couldn't think at all. The lessons she was taught were the only things that kept her from being the complete hindrance to the others. She then looked at Rogue, who was trying to sleep. Gina couldn't believe that Rogue was conducting herself as decisively as possible for anyone under the stress. For the red-orange haired 18 year old girl, raised in the family that equaled the aristocracy of the old age, Rogue was someone completely outclassing her as a soldier. She had ignored Rogue as just a dirty mutant who entered the OCS with only luck, but she now understood why Rogue entered OCS at all. There were rumors that Alex had a direct hand in her entrance, and it concerned Gina that she might lose Alex to Rogue as well. She gritted her teeth, looking at the sleeping mutant girl with both hatred, and jealousy. She closed her eyes, trying to forget her thoughts to no effect. She got out of the room, and knocked on Alex's door. She didn't hear anything for a while, until she heard Alex.

" Come in!"

Gina opened the door, and saw Alex with his top completely off. It was apparent that he was about to go to sleep when she knocked. Gina stood near the door, staring at Alex while trying to think of what to say. She was surprised that Alex wasn't as built as some of the other men. He was lean, and finely toned. She then remembered when they were kids, when they used to play in the swimming pool in the summer.

" Lieutenant, what is it?"

Gina finally spoke.

" Sir… I mean, Alex…"

Alex sighed.

" Yeah?"

Gina sat down next to Alex, looking down at the floor.

" Where did we go wrong?"

" ……"

Gina looked at Alex's eyes, which were cold, just like in the battlefields.

" Alex?"

Alex sighed, looking down at his dog tags.

" I guess it happened when I grew up… When I met Jenny…"

Gina's blue eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing.

" But…"

Alex continued, ignoring Gina.

" But I didn't really grow up… No… I started to grow up… I finally grew up when I lost Jenny, and met these mutants… Gina… Why are you here? I thought it was over between us… I've erased you from my memories, but what are you doing here now, in front of me?"

Gina's eyes glistened, but Alex continued.

" Is wealth and power that my family carry the only thing that we should care about? I learned differently in this war… We should care about the people with us… Yes, I do care about you, Gina… I'm not going to let you die, but that's as far as it will go… I've already…"

Gina sniffled, but looked at Alex with rage.

" You've already found a girl? Tell me, Alex… Is it Rogue? That mutie? That dirty, filthy mutie that doesn't deserve to live like those damned aliens?"

Alex's temper grew as well.

" Don't talk to them that way. She's a person! She's a person just like us!"

Gina scoffed at Alex who was defending the mutants. Any feelings of sadness was gone now, with rage taking complete control over her.

" A girl who can't even touch someone without wearing that stupid bracelet around her wrist… She's not a human, moreover, she's nothing like me!"

Alex sighed out loud, then laid down on his bed. Gina leaned against the wall, and spoke once more.

" Where did it all go wrong? Huh? At least tell me that."

Alex shifted in the bed, then began.

" It was after the first week in college… I saw you with Jack Renardo… You didn't see me with all that kissing, but I saw clearly… That's how it all broke apart…"

Gina tried to defend herself.

" And I dumped him a month after that!"

Alex's voice became loud again.

" And you got another guy, and short time after that another… Jeez, Gina! How can you expect me to accept you back when you were dumping everyone like they're nothing? Besides, after that second guy I was with Jenny. You started a rumor about her too. So how can you expect me to love you again?"

Gina didn't say anything, but turned to the door. She opened it, and looked back at Alex.

" Even though you deny it, you and… You and that mutant will never be together… It will never happen."

Before Alex could respond to it, Gina closed the door behind her, and walked away.

------

Alex completely lost any desire to sleep, and got back to reading the message that he stopped reading. It was usual rabble about how he was proud of him, and how he was doing a good job. He was about to delete the message until he read a line asking for him everyone in the 3rd Platoon to show up for dinner in the White House when the Psych Evaluation was over.

' What's he planning?'

Alex closed the message, then looked out of the window. The sun had set over the horizon, and he could see the lights from the various buildings far away. He got up from his seat and grabbed his shirts. Before he opened the door, he looked around his room, making sure everything was in correct order. He then realized something weighing down on his right leg, and saw that he still had his sidearm on web-holster hanging down from the belt and wrapped around his thigh. He took it off by working the Velcro. He threw it on the top of his bed, and got out.

' What time is it?'

Alex looked at the watch, but before he could read the time, he heard the familiar voice.

" It's eight-thirty, sir… Ah'd say it's dinner time…"

Alex smirked.

" Well, how long did you wait here, Rogue?"

Rogue smiled, and leaned against the wall.

" Oh, Ah've been waitin' for about half an hour now…"

Rogue's green eyes observed Alex's eyes widening ever so slightly, and let out a quiet laughter.

" Ah was jokin'… Ah just woke up too…"

Alex sighed, and gestured to the door.

" Shall we?"

The two walked out of the barracks, and headed to the mess hall. On the way, Alex saw a unit getting ready to go back to the front not far from their own barrack. He then looked towards the mess hall, where things seemed to be going along just fine. Once they entered, however, it was a completely different story. What seemed to be joyous ruckus was nothing more than an argument between some of the units over who was the bravest. Alex looked towards the back, and saw his men eating their meal quietly, trying to ignore the fight around them. He saw Logan nodding to him, assuring that he had full control over the other mutants. Alex closed the door behind him, and looked at the other units quietly. They were regular units, which Alex figured out quickly. He then looked for their unit patches, and recognized only one of them. He simply registered every faces in his mind, and stood on the line to get his food. He saw what was available, and grabbed as much as he could. It had been so long since he tasted warm, hearty meal, and he grabbed various things. He looked back at Rogue, who piled the food on the tray much like he was doing. They grabbed a seat with the other mutants, and quietly consumed the food. Alex then looked at Gina, who seemed to have some sense to eat with her unit. The three officers listened in on the conversations that the two infantry platoons were having. To them, it sounded almost a ridiculous thing to fight over when their buddies were fighting the real fight out on the front.

" Hey! We took out that whole mother-fucking alien divisions! So don't tell us that we're cowards!"

" Oh, yeah? Some brave unit you guys are! Getting your CO killed like that! I feel sorry for that poor shmuck!"

The two groups were almost at the point of exchanging fists, which Alex knew would be a messy outcome. He quietly counted to ten, trying to calm himself and think of words to stop them.

" One, two, three……nine, ten."

Alex got up, and screamed across the mess hall to get the others' attentions.

" Quiet down!"

Everyone turned their attention to Alex, and some of the regulars recognized the insignia.

" Officer on deck!"

Everyone snapped to attention, and stood firmly. Alex walked over, and finally got a look at the patches on the other side. He recognized that the other was in fact, Assault Infantry unit, which was much like the Marines back in the days. The two units also saw Alex's patch, which was a medieval sword that was coiled three times by lightning. They all knew that any patches with sword and lightning was of the Special Forces, which they didn't get to see much, but heard a lot about. They all couldn't believe that there was a Special Forces unit in the base. Alex noticed the thirty two men surrounding him staring at his patch, and smiled inwardly. He then gestured to the two sergeants in charge of the two units and brought them out of the mess hall. As soon as he did so, the others all sat down quietly in their seats, unable to believe what they had seen. They went back to eating their meal, which the mutants observed quietly. The Brotherhoods found what happened funny, and tried to keep themselves from bursting into laughter.

Alex looked at two sergeants fiercely.

" Where's your CO's?"

" Well, sir… They went out of the base at the moment on a party…"

Alex sighed and spat on the ground.

" Name and rank on them?"

Sergeants answered.

" Sir, my CO is Major Oliver Warrenson!"

" Sir, my CO is Second Lieutenant Mike Joshua!"

Alex then saw the sergeant under Maj. Warrenson notice Alex's rank, and relaxing a bit.

" And, sergeant… What do you find amusing? You think the fight back in that mess hall over some cheap sense of bravado is amusing? Why don't you enlighten me?"

The sergeant then got a glimpse at the name tag on Alex, and the amused look faded away. Alex sighed, and took a step back.

" Your buddies are fighting in the front for their lives, and ours. I'm sure they'll be disappointed to hear what we're doing back here. Conduct yourselves professionally, you hear me?"

The two sergeants saluted.

" Yes, sir!"

Alex then led the two sergeants back inside. He sat back down and continued to eat his food, which began to cool down a bit. He hurried up, shoving the pieces of chicken into his mouth, and not even bothering to use the forks. Rogue smiled, and offered a glass of water.

" Yah might wanna pace yahrself, sir…"

Alex swallowed, and then looked around his men, who wore a thin smile. He noticed that everyone else had piles of food like him, and smirked slyly.

" Well, let's pig out…"

The others grinned, and began to eat up. The taste of fresh vegetables, and well cooked meat began to fulfill their hunger for them. Their appetite surprised the other two units sitting further away. It just didn't seem humanly possible. One by one, they finished their tray. The mutants returned the tray, then walked out of the mess hall. They all returned to the barracks, and did what they did when they were alone. Pietro and some of the other mutants started a friendly poker game, while Jean and Scott watched the stars with amazement. The supposed pollutions that they expected was nonexistent, and the pollution that was here was also gone. They were able to see the stars more clearly and see things that were only told in books.

" It's beautiful!"

" It is… It's like diamonds studded on the black sky…"

While Scott and Jean were watching the night time beauty above, Piotr and Kitty were in her room, just enjoying each other's presence. They were surfing the network, reading the information that were on the holographic display. Many of the things interested them. They tried to catch up with all the advancements, reading up on the historical events of the last 100 years. They had stumbled onto a site with jokes, which they both enjoyed.

------

Alex and Rogue sat together in Alex's room. They discussed about their battles so far, which Alex was now free to talk with Rogue as officers.

" …So that's why we've been treading on water. The brass thinks we can accomplish anything…"

Rogue sighed.

" We've been lucky so far… Pretty soon, we'll start to lose'em…"

Alex nodded with grave concern.

" I'm not going to let that happen."

Rogue yawned, which Alex watched with amusement. His stare caused Rogue to blush with embarrassment and Alex smiled.

" Tired?"

Rogue laughed nervously.

" Yeah…"

" Well, we can't sleep so soon… Shall we watch some movies?"

Rogue interrupted.

" Oh, Ah forgot to ask yah… Where're all dose battle droids? Ah mean, Ah figured dat robots will fight da war with all dese advancements…"

Alex scoffed, then let out a long sigh.

" We had battle robots… But they got slaughtered, if I can use that word on this situation… They're powered and operated by the electricity that flows through the power source, and the chip that operates it. So when it gets hit by those electrical weapons, they just cease to function… It's like getting hit by Electro Magnetic Pulses. It just doesn't work…"

Rogue nodded, and waited for Alex to start the movie. He played a Romance movie, which struck Rogue as odd. As Logan would have said, it was a total chick movie, but Alex seemed to enjoy watching it. At first, she figured Alex to be a war movie, or sci-fi junkie, but he had a soft side that he was showing her. Rogue sat next to Alex stunned. Not only was Alex considering her as a human being, despite the fact that she was a mutant, but also a woman. His arm drew Rogue closer to him, and spoke quietly to not ruin the movie.

" You can sleep here, if you want to. Don't think that you need to go back to your room…"

Rogue smiled, but shook her head.

" Thanks, but no thanks… It's still…"

Alex gently grabbed Rogue's face, and smiled.

" Please, don't say that… It doesn't matter… It shouldn't matter… I love you as you… Nothing will change that…"

Rogue didn't say anything, but kept her eyes fixed upon Alex's. Alex then laid down on the bed from fatigue and the jet lag. Rogue did the same, laying down on the bed with Alex's arm holding her from the back. They closed their eyes, and fell asleep.

Gina was in her room, reading a message from her father. It was telling her to come home at once, and there was an official order attached at the end of the message. She printed the order and began to pack her belongings. There weren't much to pack since virtually everything she had was something she couldn't take. She stuffed some clothes, and personal effects. She then wrapped the belt around her waist, which had the holster hanging down on the right side. She then worked the Velcro's around her thigh to secure them. She then holstered her sidearm, and grabbed her bag. She opened the doors to find some of the other mutants hanging around the hall way.

" Where are you going, ma'am?"

Gina looked at Remy, who was eyeing her with part seriousness, and part playfulness. She handed the order to him, ordering him to hand it to Alex when the morning came.

" You got that? Private?"

Remy saluted, while holding the letter.

" Oui, madam…"

Gina opened the door and left the barracks. The mutants sighed at the girl's rudeness. Pietro suggested trashing the letter to get Gina in trouble, but Remy shook his head. He was sure that when that happened, they were done for. The last thing he wanted was to be sent back to the cryo-jail. He slid the letter under the door of Alex's room, then returned to his room. He sat quietly on his bed, thinking about his recent experience with Rogue, and combat. He didn't know why, but he was starting to feel that Rogue didn't want him at all. Whenever he looked at Rogue with Alex, he felt that he was out of his league. They looked…happy together. Remy then sighed.

' Remy better find chere of his own…'

Remy then laid down on the bed, and looked at his deck of cards. He thought of tossing the queen of hearts away, but then kept it. He was sure that there will be one for him, if he didn't die in battle. He then got up as the door opened. He saw Piotr coming in and dropping on to the bed.

" So, how did monsieur armor spend the time?"

Piotr smiled.

" Katusha…Kitty is a good person… We spent time looking at 'web sites' in the network. She heals my heart, comrade…"

Remy smiled.

" Well, I guess you found your queen of hearts…"

Piotr thought for a moment, then nodded.

" Da."

Remy laid back down, and sighed. He closed his eyes, trying to sleep. Piotr spoke once more.

" How is it going with you and the lieutenant?"

Remy sighed.

" No idea, monsieur… Remy don't think it's possible now…"

Piotr nodded slowly.

" Captain Bradford good to her, no?"

Remy nodded in answer.

" Oui… Perhaps Remy should find another queen of hearts…"

Piotr remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

" Da… I think so too, comrade…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How much of their minds would have changed? Will this psych evaluation help everyone cope with what they've been through so far? Has Remy really given up on Rogue?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	14. Chapter 14

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alex woke up, and saw Rogue leaving the room. She then saw the letter on the floor and handed it to Alex.

" A letter for yah…"

Alex read it, then sighed.

" Looks like Lieutenant Roseberg would be gone for a few days… No matter. She doesn't really need psych eval anyways…"

Alex got up, as Rogue closed the door behind her. He began to get dressed, getting into the dark green trousers, and light blue blouse. He then got the dark green tie, and jacket on top. He grabbed the hat, and sighed as he put it on.

' What is he planning? And why did Gina go home?'

He wore the dress shoes, and came out of the room. He then saw Rogue in her uniform as well. In fact, everyone was dressed for the psych evaluation. They all walked towards the medical building, where the evaluation was to take place. Alex looked at everyone, and sat down on the chairs. He stared at the door of his sister's office which was for the moment, closed. He looked at each of his men, trying to get a feel for their state of mind. Most of them seemed to be agitated by the fact that they were going to talk with a 'shrink'. Rogue, however, seemed excited to see Liz again. Alex was about to speak to Rogue when the door opened, and Liz came out.

" Third Platoon, Delta Company I presume…"

Alex got up, and nodded.

" So, who's first, Lieutenant?"

Liz smirked.

" You, Captain Bradford."

Alex picked up his hat, and followed Liz inside. They sat down on the comfortable chair for a while, without any words. Finally, they smiled.

" Well, Liz… How long has it been?"

Liz smirked.

" About a year I think…"

Alex leaned back, and sipped the tea.

" So I hear you've met Lieutenant Rogue…"

Liz smirked.

" And I know you and her have a thing going on…"

Alex let out a smile.

" Well, if you can call it that…"

Liz nodded slowly, while her hazel eyes watched her brother.

" So… Continuing on with what we're supposed to do… Tell me about the battles…"

Alex nodded.

" Fair enough… Where do you want me to start?"

Liz leaned back against her chair.

" How about when you took command of the platoon?"

Alex nodded, and took a sip from the cup for the last time.

" Well, I have to say I was reluctant to accept the assignment. In command of mutants? Come on. Anyways… I decided to take them as seriously as the others. That's when I met Lieutenant Rogue…"

Liz noticed her brother wearing the smile that he usually had when he felt genuinely pleasant. It wasn't one they wore when they were smiling at the politicians at the party, but something else. Alex continued.

" …I didn't like her at first… The strange hair, and that weird makeup… not to mention her accent…"

Liz nodded slowly, jotting down some things for the notes.

" And?"  
Alex then sighed.

" And it all changed when I told everyone about Jenny… I guess it affected her in some way… Anyways, we began to open up, and it came to this…"

They spoke for an hour, describing other things. Liz sighed, and lowered her pen.

" Okay. Your session is over, but I want to talk to you about something…"

Alex cocked his head.

" It has something to do with Lieutenant Roseberg going home, isn't it?"

Liz nodded with a smile.

" You sure don't waste your psychology degree…"

Alex shrugged, then waited for Liz to begin.

" Okay. Father wants you to marry her… That's the whole reason she got into the OCS, and that's the reason why there's a party soon in the White House."

Alex groaned, then almost lost his temper.

" I knew that sniveling weasel will do something like this!"

Liz sighed.

" He's your father…"

Alex stammered.

" You know… I… I don't care. Gina and I are over. You know?"

Alex took some deep breaths, gaining control over his emotions.

" Okay. Could you get me…no. Could you get Rogue a dress? In fact, get dresses for every female in my platoon. You know the size from the record so, okay?"

Liz sat in front of her brother, unable to grasp what he was getting to.

" What?"

Alex sighed.

" I'm going to bring my whole platoon to the party. And I will announce that I have no intention to marry Gina. I'm sure father will give up then."

Liz's eyes widened.

" Are you crazy? It will be a disaster! Besides, he wants to know who this girlfriend of yours is. Once he finds out that it's Rogue, he'll do everything to separate you two."

Alex sighed.

" At least get a dress for Rogue then. I'm not, and I emphasize… I will not marry Gina. It might be someone else, but it won't be her."

Liz held up her hands, becoming defensive.

" Hey, just telling you what will happen…"

Alex groaned for a while, then sighed.

" Anyways, just do what I tell you…"

Liz nodded, and let Alex go. She then asked him to get the next one of his choosing inside. One by one, Liz spoke to the mutants and pretty soon, found herself with Remy.

" Private Remy LeBeau… Have a seat."

Remy grabbed a seat for himself, and waited for Liz to sit down as well. He looked at Liz, who had curly dark brown hair with hazel eyes much like Capt. Bradford. He smiled, and tried to be as charming as possible as he always did in front of a lady. Liz seemed unaffected by Remy's charms, and stared at the records.

" It says here, you were a thief… An odd profession…"

Remy sighed.

" It was family business… Remy did leave in the end…"

Liz nodded, then looked at the deck of cards that Remy shuffled around.

" You play poker?"

Remy shrugged.

" Remy not a good poker player…"

Liz smirked.

" Okay. How is your personal relationship with the others doing?"

Remy sighed.

" Remy had a gal… Just his own one sided thing… Gal doesn't like Remy at all…"

Liz wrote some parts of the story, while her brain started to analyze who that might be. She knew that it would be someone in the 3rd Platoon, who was young, but not too young. Based upon her sessions, both Jean and Kitty, along with Wanda was not the case, which left Rogue. Her mind flashed with warning signs, something that would possibly hinder the current relationship between her brother and Rogue, and even worse; the whole relationship within the unit.

" Do you still like her?"

Remy shook his head.

" Remy decided to move on… It's obvious the gal don't like Remy so much…"

Liz then remembered her father telling her about her own marriage. Like her brother, she detested the ministers who were now the new aristocracy of this era. Their children were highly, and thoroughly spoiled, often displaying immaturity and irresponsibility. She certainly read the reports suggesting the ministers' children performed poorly in the battlefield, where they were expected to make decisions that benefited the unit as a whole. Their often case of selfish decisions, as well as some of the worse case of lack of any decision had, in Liz's opinion, cost units that would have normally survived to this day. She preferred the peasants more than the aristocrats. In her view, she was disillusioned about the life of the privileged that she lived through this war. She began to respect the so called 'ignorant peasants' more and more. In front of her was the worst of the peasants, a mutant that would be hated even by the civilians. She didn't know why, but she liked this Cajun. Half of it was pity, but the other half came from respect. Throughout their lives, these mutants had endured more of the hardships than any of the civilians that she knew. Liz suddenly wanted to study him further. He had this charm that was absent from the others, not even from the aristocrats. She then cast the thoughts away to get back to her duties. As fascinating as this Remy was, she still had her duty.

" How do you think about the battles? You've been spearheading almost every operations…"

Remy stopped shuffling the cards, and looked at Liz's eyes as if trying to read what she meant by her question. His eyes then calmed, and began shuffling again.

" It was bad… Remy a thief, not a killer… Things look too much like sci-fi movie too…"

Liz nodded, then turned off the recording devices as well as putting down her pen.

" So, Private LeBeau… How do you like parties?"

Remy's eyes just stared back with surprise, which Liz smiled at the affect of her words.

" I'll call you soon. I want you to dress up in your Class-A uniform, and report to me when that happens…"

With that, Liz let Remy go, and then told him to ask Rogue to come in. Rogue closed the door behind her, and saluted Liz, which she returned. The formality ended here, as they smiled and embraced each other.

" How are you doing?"

" Fine… Yah?"

Liz nodded, and gestured Rogue to sit. She then sat down in front of Rogue, and smiled.

" You are just full of bravery, aren't you? Blowing up that sewage system…"

Liz then noticed the uncomfortable look on her friend's face, and tried to ease her mind.

" Listen. It was something you had to do. It was either that or everyone. You've saved lives that day…"

" Ah guess…"

Liz then decided to move on.

" So how are you and Alex getting along? Things going fine?"  
Rogue nodded with a smile.

" Yeah…"

Rogue and Liz just stared at each other for a while, until Liz decided to tell Rogue about the party.

" Hey, there's going to be a party at the White House, and uh… Alex wants me to find a dress for you…"

Rogue's green eyes widened.

" What? Oh, no… Ah can't go to dat party… Da last time Ah went dere…"

Liz sighed.

" This time, you'll save his butt. If you're not there, he'll be forced to be engaged to Gina. You don't want that, do you?"

Rogue thought for a while, weighing in on the choices she had. Rogue then finally nodded slowly.

" Alright… Ah guess Ah'll save his butt…"

The two smirked then ended the session. As she led Rogue to the doors, Liz whispered.

" Like I said before. Take care of my brother."

Rogue nodded, and got out of the office.

------

The mutants got out of the building, and walked back to their barracks. Alex decided that they would have some fun, goofing around to relieve their stress. He ordered everyone to follow him to the Recreation Room. They all changed into the uniforms, and followed Alex. There were a lot of the others playing sports, or watching the holographic screen for the current events. Alex smirked, and turned to the others.

" Have fun."

The mutants all rushed to the billiard table, and began to play as they always did. Rogue and Alex sat on the sofa, looking at the news update on various fronts. The lines have changed again from the last time they looked at it. The African Front had advanced to the west, almost meeting the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. While watching the news, one of the other unit's commander switched the channel to something else. It was a comedy movie, which he seemed to enjoy. Alex leaned back, placing his arm around Rogue's waist discreetly. Everyone didn't protest the change of channel, since they wanted to take a break from the whole war. The other mutants, especially Kitty, Piotr, Jean, and Scott took a seat on the sofa, and watched the movie as well. Occasional burst of laughter brightened the mood, enabling them to forget about the horrifying reality outside for even just a short time. For hours, they watched the movies one after another. Alex didn't even notice that the other units had gone back to their barracks while enjoying the break from combat. At the end of the movie, he led Rogue outside, near by the swimming pool.

" It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Rogue looked up at the sun going over the horizon, and nodded.

" Yeah…"

They sat down on the chairs, facing each other.

" I wanted to tell you that I'm taking you to the party in the White House again…"

Rogue nodded.

" Liz told meh about it… Don't worry… Ah'll beh with yah…"

Alex then sighed, holding onto Rogue's hand.

" It's not just about avoiding the marriage with Gina… I mean, my father will know as well as everyone else that I was dating you… And after that party, they will know that…"

Rogue cocked her head.

" What are yah sayin'?"

Alex continued.

" They will know that I intend to marry you. I'm sure that my father will try to break us apart. So, I want your word that you will do everything you can to hold on…"

" But…"

Alex placed his index finger against Rogue with a warm smile.

" It is what I want… And if you are willing…it will be a matter between ourselves… My father's opinion, or other's shouldn't even be a concern to us. Frankly, I don't give a damn…"

Rogue nodded slowly, then smiled.

" Okay… Den Ah want yah to do everythin' yah can to hold on, as well…"

Alex nodded with a smile.

" Alright, then."

They sat quietly for a while, taking in the atmosphere. The pleasant feeling of the quietness eased them. The preoccupation on the world around them ceased, and both Alex and Rogue were able to enjoy the scenery to the fullest.

In the cave-like structure, the aliens gathered for another meeting. This time, however, they were full of emotions from the failures.

" We need to kill them all! We can't waste our efforts to capture some humans that might be available only to the few!"

The woman sighed, and explained.

" Listen, if we capture them, then we can breed them… Time is on our side. As long as we hold our fronts, we have the advantage. If we can breed them, then the world is ours…"

The others shook their heads. In part, it made sense, but on the other side, it was a very risky gamble. Some of them didn't like it, and voiced their opposition, while some of them decided to try something risky. In fact, their whole conquest up until now was a risky gamble. In the end, they decided to take the risk and capture these 'mutants' to use them as their new hosts. With that decision made, they had to come up with a strategy to capture them.

" Judging from all those reports, they seem to deploy in any front. My guess is that these humans are sending them to the trouble spots around the globe…"

" Then we need to create a major offensive soon, don't we?"

" Where should we try?"

They looked at their maps, which had numerous dots around their occupied territories, signifying their underground bases. It was difficult, since they needed a place secluded but quite close to the front so that they can immediately utilize their captured prizes. Their discussion dragged on, and finally decided to push the matter to a later time. They had more urgent matters to attend to, such as supervising the 'manufacturing' of the future hosts, and 'giving birth' to their kind. They were running out of the human females, which posed problem. The best source for them was the so called 'civilians,' but with the frontlines retreating back across the globe it was getting more and more difficult for them. To solve the problem, the ones in charge of science, meaning that they took host of the human scientists, were trying to develop a process to accelerate the growth of the newly born hosts. On their way to oversee the continuing birth of their kind, they saw the younglings waiting to take its host to complete its purpose in life. They wiggled around the little pit, using their semi-transparent, green slug-like form to the fullest. Once in a while some of them opened their leech like jaws, and chomping on the air. The ones who were discussing the events smiled as they saw their young. They gazed at them for a while, then looked at the one guarding the pit.

" How are they doing?"

The guard spoke through his armor, making his voice sound more muffled.

" Good. They are just waiting for their hosts, my queen…"

The woman nodded, and walked off, leaving the others to watch over the young. She then reached a grand chamber with a large throne-like chair. She sat down on it, then gazed at the holographic display of the Earth once again. She then looked to her right, where it was hidden by curtains. The others left the chamber, leaving the queen seemingly alone in the chamber. Soon, a figure emerged from the section covered by the curtains, emerging through the fabrics of exotic and alien material gracefully. The figure soon kneeled in front of the queen, bowing its head.

" You will be in charge of capturing these mutants… If you can't capture them, you are to kill them. To do that, I'm putting you in charge of the American Front. Now, go."

The figure rose and left the chamber, leaving the queen to smile with anticipation.

------

Rogue opened her eyes as she heard the gentle knockings on her door. She groaned, rubbing her eyes to rub away the desire to sleep. She then looked out the window, and saw the other units already on their routines. She then looked up, witnessing the sun that was high up in the sky.

' Crap!'

Rogue pulled up her pants, and opened the door slightly to see Liz smiling at her in her uniform.

" Good afternoon. Can I come in, lieutenant?"

Any residual desire to sleep dissipated from Rogue, and snapped to attention. She saluted immediately. Liz returned it quickly, then cocked her head.

" Lieutenant?"

Rogue opened the door, letting Liz in.

" Come'in, ma'am."

Liz came in with two large bags that appeared as though designed to protect high cost clothes.

" What's dat, ma'am?"

Liz sighed.

" Call me Liz…"

Rogue nodded.

" Okay… What's dat, Liz?"

Liz smiled, and handed it to Rogue.

" What you will be wearing at the party. I didn't know which color to pick, so I brought light green."

Rogue's green eyes looked down at the bag, then to the one Liz was holding.

" And dat?"

Liz smiled.

" It's mine, of course… Actually, it's the same dress."

Liz sat down on Gina's chair, then sighed.

" My brother asked me to get it for you. You _are_ going to the party, right?"

Rogue nodded slowly.

" Ah just thought dat Ah'd go in mah uniform…"

Liz shook her head, seemingly enjoying the innocence of the person she consider as her friend.

" It's a different kind of party. More formal, and more traditional. Just tell me if you think you can run with that, though…"

Rogue opened the bag, and looked at the dress. She nodded in confirmation.

" Ah think Ah can…"

Liz nodded, then brought out a box.

" And the shoes to go with it."

Rogue looked at the stilettos of same color as the dress, which seemed to lie just on the border line between regular white and ivory. Rogue then looked at Liz again.

" Are de oders comein'?"

Liz shook her head.

" No… Just you, and a guy I invited. My brother will take you tonight. Well… I'll be going now. See you at the party."

With that, Liz left the room. Rogue closed the door, and gazed down at the dress. She then sighed out loud, confused at what she had gotten herself into.

' Damn it…'

Rogue laid back down on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. She thought of going back to sleep, but decided against it. She got up, and looked out the window to see her friends hanging around outside. Rogue straightened out her clothes, and walked outside. She then saw Alex coming out of his room as well, and smiled at each other.

" G'd afternoon, sir…"

" Good afternoon, lieutenant…"

Alex closed the last button on his shirt, and straighten out his collars.

" Well, what do you think we should do?"

Rogue just shrugged her head at Alex's question. She couldn't think of what to do while waiting for the party. There was little time left for them to do anything, therefore, a training session was out of question. But on the other hand, she didn't want to just sit around after having a sort of a party of their own. Just then, Rogue saw Alex gazing in her direction.

" Somethin' wrong? Sir?"

Alex nodded slowly.

" Your hair… You'll stand out with that hair do…"

Rogue cocked her head, confused at what Alex was getting to in this little section of their conversation.

" Ah thought it wasn't much of a problem…"

Alex grunted in disgust.

" Those elitists tend to be very conservative… Some don't think that women belong in this fight… I can only laugh at it… I mean, the very survival of our specie depends on this, but they want the women folks to sit home an do nothing? Come on… Do you really feel that way?"

Rogue then sighed.

" Well… Ah personally wasn't given much of choice, remember?"

Alex nodded with a sigh.

" I forgot… But, given the choice, would you?"

Rogue sighed, and lowered her head. With everything that she had went through, she wasn't really sure whether she would have chose to fight.

" Ah… Ah don't know… But if Ah wasn't a mutant, Ah probably wouldn't want to fight in da war…"

Alex stood stunned. He also thought that he may have offended Rogue, and quickly apologized.

" I'm sorry…"

Rogue quickly tried to recover the situation by smiling.

" But… Dat's meh talkin'… Who knows? De oders would most likely think oderwise…"

Alex sighed, and led Rogue out of the barracks. The others were enjoying the sun, while watching some of the other units practicing further away. Most of the former Brotherhoods members were critiquing the regular units' tactics or other things. Alex cleared his throat to make his presence felt, and they all got up quickly, and saluted.

" Good afternoon, sir."

" So, what do we do sir?"

Alex sighed.

" If you wish to train, you can. Neither myself or Lieutenant Rogue will participate. If it's target practice…then I guess we'll do it."

The others shook their heads.

" No, it's okay, sir."

While they thought about what to do, Liz came by once again. This time, she gestured towards Remy to follow her.

" Private LeBeau… Follow me."

Remy nodded, while Alex watched his little sister with his eyebrow raised with curiosity.

" Where are you taking him, lieutenant?"

Remy smiled, while Liz shrugged.

" I just need to talk with him for a moment."

Alex nodded, letting his sister talk with Remy. He doubted it was anything that was related to military. He guessed that it was something personal. Alex then smirked, thinking of the days when he and his sister were in the same school. It was somewhat strange that his sister didn't date the boys in the campus. She always hung around with other girls, which caused concern for their father that she might be an extreme feminist or may be even a lesbian. Alex knew the real reason, which was that like himself, Liz hated the people of the privilege. Ultimately they hated their own status in the society. They didn't like having all the privileges while the others suffered because of it. Rather than being something of happiness, their status felt like a heavy burden. Always embarrassed of themselves in the presence of the common people. Alex was sure that Liz had an interest on Remy like he was with Rogue. He placed his hand on Rogue's shoulder, all the while leading her back into the barracks. They had to get ready for the party now if they wanted to make it in time. Rogue got into her dress and stilettos, then made sure that her bracelet was on. She stepped out of her room and saw Alex waiting for her.

" I thought you'd never come out… Come on. We have to stop by somewhere before we go to the party."

Rogue nodded, partly unsure of what he was saying. She thought that everything was set, but the prospect that there might be more things they needed to do perplexed her. Still, she followed Alex to the car that waited for them. The driver seemed to be surprised to see Rogue. He opened the door, letting Rogue inside, then waited for Alex to follow suit. Alex got in, then spoke before the driver closed the door.

" I need to stop by the beauty salon…"

The driver nodded, then got into the vehicle.

Liz got into her dress, and shoes, then tied her hair into a single bun behind her head. She then applied lip stick while staring at the mirror. When she was finished, she opened the door to find Remy in his uniform, smiling at her.

" Well, mademoiselle… Remy thinks mon petite looks stunning…"

Liz smirked, rather flattered by what the Cajun said.

" Well, let's go."

Remy saluted with enthusiasm not previously shown.

" Yes, ma'am!"

They walked out of the barrack, and entered Liz's car. As soon as the car was switched to auto drive, Liz turned to Remy.

" Okay, a few ground rules… Don't speak unless spoken to. These people are the most conservative and closed minded people you will ever encounter. Next, don't leave my side. And finally, follow my lead."

Remy thought for a while, then nodded slowly.

" Yes, ma'am."

Liz looked back towards the road, trying to see the civilians living out their normal lives It fascinated how these people could continue to live the way they live while there was a war waging on south of them. But then, she guessed that it was because they didn't know how dire the situation was. Her father was very efficient at controlling the masses, which was a skill that has been passed down from her grandfather. She then wondered what Remy thought of all this. She wanted to hear from the very person that is being manipulated. What their reaction to the truth would be…

" Have you ever been lied to? Manipulated?"

Remy looked at Liz strangely, unable to grasp where she was going with this question. He began to suspect that it was more than a simple date. Liz here wanted to find out something which Remy couldn't think of.

" Remy been used a lot… Remy's father used Remy, Magneto used Remy, and now Earth Alliance use Remy…"

Liz sighed, looking down at the control console.

" I'm sorry, Remy…"

Remy looked at Liz, seeing the deep sadness, and guilt.

" It's okay, mon petite… Remy don't mind…"

Liz looked at Remy, then smirked.

" Thanks…"

------

Alex and Rogue's car stopped in front of a large building. Rogue could see a lot of people sitting inside, while many of the others worked on their hairs. With Alex leading her, Rogue entered the salon, which seemed more than a salon of century ago. The woman who seemed to be the owner welcomed Alex.

" Mr. Bradford! How nice for you to stop by again! It's been a while since I saw you!"

Alex removed his hat, and sighed.

" Well, it's the military thing."

The woman turned to Rogue, and her eyes winced at seeing Rogue's hair. Before she could comment though, Alex intervened.

" Can you help her?"

The woman nodded.

" Of course."

Some of the workers led Rogue to a chair, separate from the others. They lowered a machine, which began to scare Rogue a bit.

" Uh… What's dis?"

Alex smiled, holding her hand.

" This thing accelerates growth of your hair… Which reminds me, how long do you want it?"

Rogue shrugged. By having her hair short for three months now, she had gotten used to it. Therefore, the prospect of growing it back seemed strange.

" Ah don't know…"

Alex looked at Rogue, then the owner.

" What do you recommend?"

The owner seemed to think for a while, then brought a picture. The woman had a curly, long hair that descended to the waist.

" How about this?"

Alex thought for a while, then nodded.

" Okay. I guess I'll follow your recommendation."

The stylists began to work on Rogue as Alex took a seat further away. He began to look at the picture, and think what the result might be. Meanwhile, Rogue sat with the gigantic object covering her head and blocked her view. At first, she didn't feel anything, but as time went by, she could feel the sort of itchy but pleasant sensation through out the places where the hair grew from her head. She then began to worry if this thing would grow her eyebrows, and any facial hair there might be. Soon, she felt the tips of the hair touching the neck. She waited for a while, half bored and half anxious for the process to finish. The device went up, and Rogue saw her hairs grown to her waist, which began to tingle her exposed back. The stylists then began to perm her hair slightly seeking the curly effect that they had in mind. Within a few minutes, the hairs now curled slightly bringing the overall length to the somewhere below the shoulder blades. Alex paid for their services and walked out of the salon. When they got back into the car, Rogue was finally allowed to see herself on the mirror. Her face brightened up, and her cheeks reddened slightly.

" Oh mah god!"

Alex smiled. He was glad that Rogue was feeling as she was.

" Well, let's go. We're going to be late."

The driver nodded, and continued their way towards the party.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will Alex be forced to marry Gina? How will she take Alex's decision? And how will Alex's father react?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	15. Chapter 15

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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On the way to the White House, Alex kept staring at Rogue, who sat in front of him. Rogue, in turn, gazed into Alex's eyes. They didn't need to speak much to know what each other was thinking. They've went through so much together that the words were not necessary. The driver often gazed into the rear-view mirror to see the two. He had heard of the planned engagement between Alex and Ms. Roseberg. The appearance of this woman seemed strange to him. Being just a driver, he had no idea that this engagement was forced.

" Master Alex… If I may…"

Alex turned to the driver.

" What is it, Charlie?"

The driver turned on the auto-drive, and turned around.

" Who is this lady?"

Alex smiled, and placed his hand on Rogue's.

" This is Lieutenant Rogue. I plan to marry her."

Charlie cocked his head, confused at what Alex had said.

" I thought master Alex was to be engaged to Ms. Roseberg."

Alex shook his head.

" No. I plan to marry Rogue, and Rogue only."

Charlie then remembered Alex displaying anger towards Ms. Roseberg about a year and a half ago. He then nodded slowly, smiling as he did so.

" I see. I was just asking, master Alex."

Alex nodded, also smiling.

" Well, let's get there."

Charlie nodded, and took over the control of the car again. Soon, the car stopped in front of the White House, which was guarded by numerous security agent in both civilian clothes and uniforms. After making sure that the car belonged in the White House, they let them in. As they watched the car go pass by them, they saw Rogue in the car as well, and reported it.

" 'Valiant' entering the gate. Has a girl with him."

" Roger."

The car stopped at the east wing of the white house, and a butler quickly opened the door. Alex got out first, then helped Rogue out. She looked at the familiar, yet strange building for a moment, taking a deep breath of courage. Just as she was exhaling, Alex squeezed her hand, as if trying to assure himself that it would be okay. Rogue stared into his eyes in the midst of the reporters of various media surrounding their entry. The strange looking microphones extended towards their face everywhere, Alex shoved the microphones away, all the while guarding Rogue as the agents guarded him. For the casual observers, it almost appeared as though Rogue was the person of importance. Of course, the media was curious about this new woman in Alex's life. They knew about his relationship with Gina and Jenny. And according to their sources, the party was about Gina and Alex's reunion. The Ministry of Public Relations had tried very hard to give them the impression of Gina and Alex as the ones who were meant to be together. If this new woman happened to be Alex's so called 'Soul Mate', then the Ministry of Public Relations was going to be involved in a quite a large scandal, and become one of the few failures of the ministry. The reporters began to look at Alex for any possible explanation. Even though Alex seemed to be getting along with his father just fine, but the rumors began to leak out that seemed to enlighten them about the true nature of their relationship. Although both Alex and his father looked like they were a family, their ideology was vastly different. From the sources, the media gathered that Alex wished for democracy to finally take place, which had the effect of increasing his popularity among the people. It also had the effect of vilifying his father even more. Therefore, they hoped that this woman would be his real interest.

" Captain Bradford. A question."

Alex looked at the reporter, who happened to be working for one of the networks that covered mostly the world of celebrities. He didn't like the fact that he was always in a spotlight, but it couldn't be helped.

" What is it?"

The reporter emerged out of the crowd of the her colleagues.

" Who is this woman? Is she?"

Alex smiled, and nodded.

" Yes. Yes, she is."

Just then, the reporters turned to the driveway. Alex turned back, and saw Liz coming out of the car with a soldier in his uniform. Right away, he realized that it was just a private, but then he was surprised to see who it was.

' Remy?'

Liz quickly joined with the private in question. Rogue was also surprised to see Remy.

" Remy?"

Remy smiled, and shrugged. Alex felt the gaze of the reporters, and led them inside.

" Let's go in. We're going to be late."

The four went inside, staring at the crowd of aristocrats that have gathered. Rogue and Remy followed their companions into the crowd, greeting some of the ministers and their families while doing so. Alex exchanged salute with Justice Minister's son, who was a lieutenant of the Assault Infantry unit, and one of the few surviving members of their class.

" Lieutenant…"

" Sir."

Rogue looked at his name tag, and read the name Josh Austin. Just then, Alex smirked at him.

" Why don't we drop the ranks, Josh?"

Josh nodded gladly.

" Okay, Alex. By the way…"

Josh gestured towards Rogue.

" Who is she?"

Alex smiled.

" Oh, my girlfriend… This is Lieutenant Rogue. Rogue, this is Lieutenant Austin."

Rogue nodded, after almost saluting Josh. Josh smiled, and bowed slightly. He then looked at Remy.

" So, how did you get here, private?"  
Remy grinned, not caring to explain. But then Liz interrupted.

" Oh, he's mine… Just thought I would date him a bit…"

Josh nodded. He then looked around, then gestured towards where the drinks were.

" You might want to avoid the drinks… The witch is there."

Alex saw Gina dressed very extravagantly, and talking with other daughters of the ministers. Liz saw her and scoffed.

" Oh, the poor thing… She's going to be having such a humiliation…"

Josh cocked his head.

" Huh?"

Liz tried to speak, but Alex stopped her.

" You'll just have to wait like the rest, Josh… Sorry about that."

Josh nodded.

" Alright. Fine with me. Anyways, I heard Lieutenant Morris got the 9th Special Forces Platoon. It's about time…"

Alex nodded.

" I heard that your unit's doing quite well…"

Josh scoffed.

" Not as well as your unit… Damn it… I have to worry about more people than you. My CO got his ass shot off a week ago and now I'm in charge of two platoons. I would sure love to have Lieutenant Morris as my back up…"

Alex joked.

" So quit the Assault Infantry… Join the good old Special Ops…"

Josh smirked.

" Nah… If I go, then who would take care of them? They'll probably get some incompetent idiot as their commanding officer…"

Alex smirked back, and nodded.

" Okay. See you later, Josh."

Josh nodded, then looked at Rogue as the four passed by.

' Damn, he sure picks hot ones…"

Back in the base, the other mutants sat together in front of the barracks, enjoying the scenery. Logan pulled out his cigar, and began to smoke, while watching the other units further away. The two couples, Scott and Jean, and Piotr and Kitty, sat separated from the others, doing their own things. Jean looked at Scott, who laid down on the grass. Her eyes inspected her boyfriend. It seemed as though Scott had gained more muscle mass.

" I guess this soldiering isn't that bad…"

Scott shifted his gaze towards Jean.

" What?"

Scott then felt Jean's hands holding his upper arm.

" You got some more muscles…"

Scott smirked.

" Well, I'm still not Mr. Logan…"

Jean smiled, and rested her head on Scott's chest.

" And I prefer it that way…"

While the two enjoyed the frolic, Piotr and Kitty sat behind the computer, looking through the network for any other humor pages. Fortunately, they found loads of pages for them to laugh at. Kitty looked at Piotr, still laughing from the last joke.

" How are you doing?"

Piotr thought for a moment, then sighed.

" Frankly, Katusha… I'm tired of fighting… But I will manage… I'm not concerned with revenge anymore… I want to protect you…"

Kitty nodded, and leaned against Piotr.

" Thanks…"

------

Alex led Rogue, along with Liz and Remy, to where his father was. He was talking with the other ministers, discussing the recent events. Both Remy and Rogue were nervous. For Remy, he revered the man of power. It was as if the president was the king of the old days. Rogue, on the other hand, was worried about how the president would react to what Alex would say. Alex assured her that it would go well for numerous times, giving example of how his father accepted his engagement to Jenny after a while. Of course, Rogue wanted to believe that it would be the case, but the fact that she was a mutant concerned her. In the end, she was still a mutant, while Jenny wasn't.

" Father."

The president looked back, seeing his son with a woman, while his daughter was with a private.

" Who are they?"

Liz smiled, and explained first.

" He's my next 'experiment'…"

Liz then saw her father looking at her with some difficulties. It was quite apparent that he was upset that she had to pick a lowly private. The president then turned to Alex.

" You're supposed to be engaged with Gina, so what are you doing with this woman?"

Alex looked at his father's eyes, trying to gauge whether he meant it in jest or whether he meant it as he said it. He was surprised that it was indeed as he said it. Before he could answer, the president went on.

" I heard that you let a mutant under your command to go through the OCS…"

Alex's eyes unwittingly looked back towards Rogue, clueing his father in on the identity of the mutant in question. The president quickly took a step towards Rogue, then looked at her for a moment. Alex watched his father, trying to figure out what he was doing. Rogue stood nervously, not knowing what she needed to do.

" Are you the one?"

Rogue nodded slowly.

" Yes, Mr. President…"

Alex watched as his father's eyes narrowed with disapproval. The president went on.

" My daughter tells me that Alex has someone he is seeing. Are you that person?"

Rogue nodded as well.

" Yes, Mr. President."

Alex saw his father's eyes now filling with anger. The president quietly led his son and Rogue to a private room upstairs, not wanting to bring any embarrassment. He closed the door behind him, and locked it. Before Alex could ask what he was doing, the president began, with his anger obvious from the cringing of his face.

" Out of all the girls, you pick this dirty mutant whore?!"

Alex's anger flared, unable to stand the insult that was flung at the woman he cared for.

" She's more a lady than Gina! You don't know anything about her!"

The president looked at Rogue, then scoffed.

" So what is it that you want? Do you want the cure? Is that why you've approached my son? Huh?"

Rogue stared at the president, not knowing what to say in response. The president pressed on.

" So is it the cure that you want? Fine! I'll order your cure! But! I want you to stay away from my son!"

Alex stared at his father with contempt.

" How could you…"

Alex was interrupted by his father.

" Because I can! Come on… Say something!"

Rogue stared blankly at the floor. She remained silent for a while, but finally spoke.

" Ah… Ah…"

Alex saw Rogue's eyes forming tears. He looked at Rogue along with his father with anticipation.

" …Ah truly love Alex…"

Alex sighed in relief, but Rogue continued.

" …but if yah really don't want meh with yahr son, sir… Ah…"

Alex began to shake his head, mouthing towards Rogue to not to say what she was about to say. Rogue looked at Alex's direction, which the president noted. Alex finally grabbed Rogue's hand, and let her stand up.

" I'm sorry, father… I can not marry someone I loath…"

The president looked at Rogue fiercely. He was sure that it was this mutant that was the source of all this. He had to get rid of her quickly so that he could get on with the engagement. He was sure that his son would later forget about this girl.

" Okay then… Why don't you go out there and announce it to the world? Put this girl in a spotlight, and expose these mutants? It will surely nullify your hush-hush policy. Come on, son. It just wasn't meant to be. Don't linger on this…"

Alex thought for a moment, weighing in on the choices. He was sure that the people weren't ready to face the fact that they were being saved by mutants, whom they considered just as foul as the aliens that were threatening them. He let out a loud sigh, realizing the situation he was in. He couldn't reveal his unit to the public, while he didn't want to marry Gina. In the end, however, Alex decided that safeguarding the lives of the mutants under his command was more valuable than finding the other half of himself. He also figured that it wouldn't matter much since he will still be in the unit with Rogue. Also, if he did marry Gina, it meant that she will be transferred out of the unit, to a post much more safer. Therefore, it was a way for him to get the most inexperienced member of his team out as well. His hands wrapped into fists, which began to shake while it turned pale.

" …Would you…leave us alone for a moment?"

The president took a glimpse of his son's eyes, and nodded.

" Okay. Tell me when…"

With that, he stepped out of the room, closing the door on his way out.

Rogue sat down on the chair at Alex's urging. She didn't know what was going on, nor what Alex was thinking. Alex, on the other hand, tried his best to make Rogue relaxed as possible, trying to ease the shock that would soon follow.

" Listen, Rogue…"

Rogue began to shake her head.

" Don't…"

Alex sighed.

" It's for the best… You can't be found out yet… Besides, it will get Gina out of the unit… Please understand…"

Rogue shook her head, unable to believe what she was hearing.

" No! We agreed! We agreed not to waver!"

Alex reached with his hand, trying to hold Rogue in his arms.

" I know… God knows I care so much about you… But It… It's too much at risk…"

Rogue quickly pushed Alex's hand away.

" Don't touch meh!"

Alex tried to reach Rogue's again, but she pointed her finger at Alex in a threatening manner.

" It's over… It's over for us…sir… Yah can beh mah commandin' officer, but dat's it."

Rogue got up, and opened the door. Alex could only watch as Rogue turned to left, and running down the stairs. He then saw his father, who began to pat his shoulder.

" You made the right decision…"

Alex looked back at his father, then down towards Rogue, who began to shove through the crowd. Just as she went through the crowd, she fell down for some reason, but she got up. He saw her looking back at him for a moment, then stepping out of the door. Closer to him, he saw his sister giving him a look, inquiring what he had done to her. Before Alex could act, she went through the crowd, leading Remy to the door.

' Rogue…'

Alex turned to his father, and sighed.

" Will Gina be out of my unit with this?"  
The president nodded.

" Yes."

Alex sighed again. He couldn't think of what to do.

" Let's go down, shall we?"

The two Bradford's walked down the stairs, and met up with the Terrestrial Minister and Gina. Soon, the flashes of the cameras blinked, while the reporters began to ask questions. To Alex, the moments passed by like he was standing in the middle of a silent film. He couldn't hear what others said. In this state of confusion, Alex looked at Gina, who handed him a ring, while she took another from Alex's hand. With a portion of the engagement ceremony done, the Champaign glasses floated about more freely, with the music picking up the pace.

------

Liz hopped onto her car, with Remy sitting next to her.

" What just happened?"

" I don't know, Remy. I just don't know…"

She began to drive out of the driveway. She was sure that Rogue hadn't gotten far.

" Come on…"

They began to scan the sidewalks, while circling the White House. When they couldn't see Rogue, they widened their search, spreading a block by block. Finally, they saw Rogue limping down the street towards the base with one stiletto in her hand. Rogue then fell down one more time. She got up after taking off the other stiletto. Liz stopped the car, and rolled down the window next to her.

" Rogue!"

Rogue turned her attention to the car, then continued to march down the sidewalk in fury. Liz followed, trying to calm her friend.

" What happened?"

Rogue stopped for a moment, then threw the shoes down on the sidewalk.

" It's over… Yah know? Ah guess it was doomed from da start… Ah mean, look at meh… Ah'm just a dirty, filthy, lowly mutant while he's da president's son… Ah shouldda known it wouldn't work out at all…"

Liz got out of the car, approaching Rogue.

" What are you saying? You guys broke up?"

Rogue looked at Liz with forced smile, while tears dropped from her eyes.

" Yeah… Didn't even take him long…"

Liz sighed. She then helped Rogue up, and led her to the car. She let Rogue in the back, and got into the driver's seat.

" I'm taking you back there. You have to convince him. You have to tell…"

Rogue shook her head.

" No… Just take meh back to da base…"

Liz looked at Rogue for a moment, then sighed.

" Okay…"

Liz set the course for the base in the computer, and put it on the auto-drive. She turned the chair around.

" Look… I'm sure it was hard for Alex as well…"

Rogue sighed, trying to suppress her emotions. She looked down at her feet, and let out a short laughter.

" Well, Ah sure wish it's hard on him as it's hard on meh… But, hey… Ah guess Ah'm pretty much used to dis… Betrayal's kinda like a theme of mah life…"

Liz became puzzled, narrowing her eyes.

" What do you mean?"

Rogue sighed.

" Ask Kurt… He'll know… It runs through him too…"

Rogue then became quiet, not even letting out a peep out of her lips. When they entered the base, Rogue got out of the car, and walked to her room in the barrack. She changed into her uniform and then went to the bathroom with the electric razor. She looked at herself in the mirror for a while, unable to decide whether she should shave her head again. She finally decided against it, and went out of the barracks without answering the questions that her friends were throwing at her. She headed straight to the shop to get her hair cut while Liz tapped Kurt's shoulder.

" Would you come with me for a moment?"

Kurt nodded with confusion.

" Ja…"

Liz led Kurt around the corner, and behind the barracks. They sat down and looked at the shoreline that was far away.

" Rogue tells me that betrayal is a theme in her life… Do you know what she means?"

Kurt looked at Liz with concern, which alarmed Liz.

" Did somevon betray Rogue?"

Liz sighed, finally admitting.

" Yes… Both she and Captain Bradford broke up…"

Kurt sighed, and stared at the sand underneath his feet.

" She found out zhat mein mozher ist her step mozher. I zhink she doesn't like her… Vell…she did hurt Rogue's feelings…"

Liz then sighed.

" And her mutation…"

Kurt nodded.

" Ja… It's hard for her to get somevon to like her, but zhen losing zhat somevon ist painful…"

Liz sat quietly for a moment, then got up.

" I better get back to the party before someone notices that I'm gone…"

With that, Liz and Remy went back to the party, leaving the rest to wonder why Rogue returned.

Upon returning, Rogue collected her gears and went to the shooting range. She got herself as much of ammo as she could, and stood behind the line. She fed the first magazine, and stared coldly at the target with frustration, anger, and hatred. It didn't take her much effort to imagine the target as Alex. She began firing one after another, muttering the curses under her breath.

" Damn bastard… Pig……"

She began to hasten the pace, rapidly spending the fifty bullets inside the magazine. Not wanting to be bothered with changing it, she changed to the pistol and rapidly fired also. She looked at the torn shred of the thin metal target and gasped for breath. She still felt the rage inside her, burning even hotter than before she entered this shooting range. She needed to feel the grinding of the bones, the tearing of the flesh. In the end, what she wanted to do was beat the crap out of Alex, but she couldn't do that at all. As much as she wanted to vent her anger at Alex, she didn't want to risk not receiving the cure. It was what she always wanted, and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. She collected her belongings and walked out of the shooting range. She headed to the barracks where the others stared at her with concern. One by one, they began to ask her what had happened. Of course, Rogue didn't' want to talk about it at all. She kept the mouth shut, and zigzagged through the crowd.

" Hey! We just want to know what happened!"

Rogue shot a glare back at Scott, who paused for a moment. Something seemed very amiss. The green eyes that he was seeing were something he hadn't seen for a long time. On the first glance, they seemed very angry, but behind them carried sorrow that resurfaced to wreck havoc in Rogue's mind. The others felt the same way as Scott. Ororo and the girls followed Rogue, but the slamming door ended their efforts to help their friend. All they could do was just ponder at what had gone wrong. Even though Rogue was closed mouthed about it, they guessed that it was the party that she went to. As for what exactly had caused this, they didn't have a clue. They quietly retreated back to their rooms, doing whatever they were doing. While her friends were going back to their routine, Rogue's temper began to cool down, and the sorrow underneath surfaced. She sat down on the bed, and looked around the room. She sighed, thinking about the moments up until now. She closed her eyes for a while, trying to forget the times of joy. But the memories became more vivid as she tried to forget. She just couldn't believe her luck at all. She crawled into the bed, and closed her eyes. She wanted to sleep, hoping that she would have some nightmare about the aliens or something to get her mind off of Alex.

------

Liz arrived back in the White House, and got out of the car. She ran back in to see her brother sitting behind the table with Gina. She led Remy to the table, and grabbed a seat in front of them.

" Well, I hope I am bothering you…"

Gina narrowed her eyes, glancing at Remy to see what was going on. Alex, on the other hand, was surprised to see his sister back.

" Liz…"

Liz sighed, and gulped down a glass of wine like water. She took some breaths to work up her will to do what she was going to do.

" Can you leave us alone?"

Remy got up, and went for the refreshments. Liz then saw Gina still in her seat.

" I meant you too…"

Gina kept herself from moving.

" Alex and I are fiancé now. We're sharing everything together…"

Liz scoffed.

" I doubt you'll share ideology with each other… Now, don't make me pull my rank, Gina…"

Gina got up slowly staring at her soon to be sister in law fiercely. She then walked away towards her father. Liz made sure that Gina went away then gestured her brother to get up as well.

" Follow me."

Alex trailed Liz upstairs, and into the little reception room. Liz closed the door behind her, then pushed Alex.

" You miserable… Nice job, you idiot!"

Alex sighed, taking off the engagement ring from his finger.

" You don't know what happened…"

Liz sighed.

" Oh? Let me guess. You told father that you were going to marry Rogue, and he said he would do something to harm those guys. So you thought you'd spare their lives by doing this. Am I right?"

Alex slowly nodded, confirming what his sister said. Liz walked towards him, and pushed him once more. She began to raise her voice towards her brother, not giving him any chance to speak.

" Well, aren't you merciful, Mr. Soon to be President! Aren't you Mr. Democracy! Well, let me tell you something! Democracy is about trust! Trusting in each other to do their best to not let their personal gain be the priority! Trusting in each other to keep their words! You used to rebel again father, so what happened?! Huh? If you think you've saved those guys, then you're dead wrong! They've been through much worse than this! You think this life they have now is even something they chose? They were forced to do this! Did you forget that?! Now you just broke your trust with them! How do you think they will feel looking at you now? I've never thought you were this kind of person… If you were like this then I guess you don't even deserve Rogue!"

Alex waited for a while, trying to let his sister calm down. He saw Liz hyperventilating, trying to catch her breath.

" Liz… I… I thought it would be the best for everyone… It would get Gina out of the team, and they'll all be safe."

Liz continued.

" Oh, really? They could die at any moment in the battlefield! At least you could give them something to live for. Sure, most of them have each other, but some of them don't! You became that purpose to Rogue, and you took it away!"

Alex stared blankly at Liz. He hadn't thought of it that way at all before. He began to have second thoughts, but then sighed.

" She'll be okay. She's a tough girl…"

Liz threw her hands in the air, and sighed. She turned around, and opened the door. Before she got out, she turned around, and looked back at Alex.

" You know, I had a chance to look at your files long ago… What you might find out will shock you…and may be make you ashamed of what you did to her…"

Liz got out, slamming the door behind her. She walked down the stairs and met up with Remy. She sat down with him on a table away from the others and sipped their drinks.

" So, what did mademoiselle do with le capitan?"

Liz sighed.

" I don't want to talk about it, Remy…"

Remy nodded, then looked at the people dancing. Liz, however, gazed at the Cajun, observing him as she did with her patients.

" So…Remy. How old are you?"

Remy's red eyes looked at Liz, surprised at the question.

" Don't chere know?"

Liz smiled.

" Come on… Give me something to start a conversation."

Remy smiled and nodded.

" About twenty."

Liz smiled, satisfied that they were finally having a conversation.

" Is that with those years as an icicle? Or without?"

Remy chuckled, and twirled the glass of whiskey in his hand.

" Without, of course. Remy don't think gals are interested in someone over hundred years old…"

Liz shrugged.

" Well, I guess you found that someone…"

Remy nodded, and smiled. He then raised his eyebrow for a moment, while staring at Liz.

" How about mademoiselle?"

Liz blushed, while maintaining her smile.

" Well, don't you think it's a bit rude?"

Remy nodded a bit.

" Excuse Remy… But Remy wants to know…"

Liz nodded, and drew a deep breath.

" Okay. I'm seventeen…"

Remy whistled.

" Seventeen and already a doctor? Chere's a genius!"

Liz shook her head.

" Almost everyone graduates around sixteen."

Remy cocked his head, not understanding how everyone would graduate from college at sixteen. Liz then tapped her head to get Remy's attention.

" Everyone receives a chip upon graduating middle school. It boosts your memories and learning abilities in general. So for these days, double, triple, or even quadruple majoring in college is pretty common."

Remy sighed.

" Remy don't think it's a good feeling…"

Liz then smirked.

" You have one too, silly. How did you think you picked up all those training so quickly?"

Remy's eyes grew wide, unable to believe it.

" Oh…"

Liz reached across the table, and grabbed Remy's hand.

" You know… I like you a lot… I don't know, but I guess it can be love…"

Remy looked at Liz's eyes, seeing sincerity from the hazel eyes.

" Remy thinks Remy loves mademoiselle too…"

Liz smiled.

" Call me Liz…"

" Oui…"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple breaks up, while another form. Will Rogue get over Alex? Will Alex come around? How about Liz and Remy? Will their relationship face such obstacles? What is it that Liz saw in Alex's file?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	16. Chapter 16

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Rogue opened her eyes to the bright light of the sun that seeped through the cracks on the curtain. She got up and looked at the clock, then looked at Gina's spot. Everything was where it was last night, which prompted Rogue to think that she and Alex didn't return. She got up, and opened the door to see the others still asleep. The relaxation of not being on the frontline gave them a chance to relax, and sleep in. Rogue returned to the bed, and tried to sleep again, but failed. She then switched into physical training clothes and athletic shoes. She got out of the barracks as quietly as she could, and took a deep breath of the air. The air was getting colder as days went by, and the skies were becoming gray more frequently. As she breathed outward, she saw her breath condensing into a small puff of fog, and then disappearing quickly. She began to stretch her muscles, preparing for the exercise that she thought of doing. Rogue then jogged her way through the perimeter of the base. She saw many of the others doing their own share of exercise by either running or practicing other skills. She then saw some of the other units running in unison, which reminded her of Alex for a brief moment. Rogue's hands closed to fists in anger, and she hastened her pace unknowingly. When she came back to the front of the barracks, she was completely out of breath. She stooped over, only supported by her hands that were placed against her knees. She felt the tightening of her diaphragm, and quickly dashed inside the barracks, bursting into her own room, and entering the bathroom. She grabbed the toilet seat and vomited out nothing but stomach acids, which left burning sensation inside her mouth and chest. She quickly washed her mouth, and drank the water to relieve the sensation. She then looked up at the mirror, from which she saw herself as miserable as she could remember. She then heard the cynical laughter outside of the bathroom.

" Who's dere?"

Rogue saw Gina emerging into her view, with her face lit up like a child in paradise.

" How are you going to fulfill your job when you're obviously in a bad condition?"

Rogue gritted her teeth, with her green eyes burning with hatred that almost made a scorching inside her pupils. Her emotions urged her to take her frustration and anger out on Gina, but the consciousness got the better of Rogue, preventing her from lashing out against the woman in front of her.

" What are yah doin' here? Aren't yah supposed to beh in da White House like some ditz who marries someone for money?"

Gina quickly raised her hand to slap Rogue, but her hands were blocked by Rogue.

" How dare you…"

Rogue's left hand, which blocked Gina's remained still, while Rogue's right hand closed to a fist, shaking with fury. Just then Rogue saw Alex poking his head through the doorway.

" Did you pack your… Rogue?"

Rogue's hands eased, and Gina quickly took her hand out of Rogue's grasp. Gina then turned to Alex.

" I'll be out soon. Wait for me outside, would you?"

Alex nodded and left, while Gina grabbed her bags and then walked towards the door. While doing so, Gina rammed her shoulder into Rogue's, and then leaned against Rogue's ear.

" I won… Besides, whatever you did, you'll always be a filthy mutant… You had no chance…"

Gina left the room with a smile, waving her left hand for Rogue to see the engagement ring. Rogue growled and then punched the wall in front of her. Her hand ached, but it seemed like nothing compared to how she felt emotionally. Rogue sat down on the bed, and sighed out loud. She looked at the mirror on the open closet in front of her, and the reflection of herself. Just then, Gina's words floated about in her head again.

' You'll always be a filthy mutant…'

Rogue grabbed the pillow and then threw it at the mirror, striking the reflection of herself. She then heard the car driving away from the base, and footsteps in the hallway. She didn't pay much attention. She wanted to forget. She wanted to forget everything.

Alex came in, and poked his head through the doorway again, trying to check up on Rogue. She seemed exhausted, or at least horrible. The emotional roller coaster that he gave her had worn her out completely, and this leave that was meant to refresh everyone seemed to have backfired against her.

" Rogue…"

Rogue didn't even look at Alex, recognizing him from his masculine, yet soft voice.

" What is it, sir?"

Alex sighed, then spoke again.

" Can I come in?"

Rogue's head lowered, staring at the floor for a while, then finally answering Alex.

" No, sir…"

Alex lowered his head, and moved onto his room. He sat down behind his computer, and began reading up the reports of recent events. Analyzing the reports, he guessed that they would be deployed to the American front next. It seemed like the aliens had decided to push through the American continent and cripple the whole Earth Alliance government. He then looked at the weather reports, which forecasted rain throughout this winter. He was sure that it would be quite miserable. The streets, as well as their clothes would be wet, making themselves more conductive. Alex then remembered the winter of last year, the time when the aliens made the most advance using that fact. The casualties seemed to mount whenever there was a large rainstorm in the area, and they were going to fight them in the enemy's best condition. He then closed the files relating to what was going out in the world, then got up. He looked down at his hand, and then saw the ring, which reminded him of what happened back in the White House. He opened the door, and quietly walked down to Kurt's room. He knocked, on it, and heard Kurt calling out.

" Who ist it?"

Alex whispered, so as to prevent Rogue from finding out that he was talking to him.

" It's me."

The door opened, and Kurt welcomed Alex in.

" Vhat ist it zhat you want to see me for, sir?"

Alex took a couple of step inside, and turned to Kurt.

" I just want to know… Is Rogue a strong person as I think she is?"

Kurt looked into Alex's eyes, trying to figure out what he was asking.

" I don't know… She's outwardly very strong, but I zhink she's disguising…"

Alex nodded, trying hard not to reveal his thoughts. He smiled, and thanked the blue haired mutant.

" Thanks…"

As he stepped out of Kurt's room, Alex began to think about what his sister said before. In the midst of this thought, he saw the notice of deployment attached to the door of his room. He pulled it off, and began to read it.

' Third Platoon of 7th Corp, 5th Special Operations Division, Delta Company is to report to New Los Angeles by January 8th, 2200. Specifics will be provided en route. Also, Cpl. Charles Hodges is to return to his unit ASAP.'

Alex then looked at his watch.

' Two weeks, huh?'

Alex then looked out of the window in his room. He saw the flakes of white snow falling from the sky, making him feel rather uncomfortable. It seemed as though the nature was reflecting his own heart, which was being covered by a shroud called Gina to cover up his feelings for Rogue. As he went back to his room, he glanced towards Rogue's room, which had the door open. He saw Rogue sleeping peacefully, and closed the door quietly. While he was doing so, he heard Rogue talking in her sleep, while suddenly curling into a ball.

" Ah'm so sorry… Don't… Please don't hurt meh…"

Alex nearly opened the door to calm Rogue, but didn't do so. He finally closed the door and walked to his own room. He crawled into his own bed, and closed his eyes. He then remembered Rogue talking in her sleep, which unnerved his belief that Rogue was a tough person. He began to think more and more about what Liz had said: that Rogue was very vulnerable despite her outward behavior. He began to think about how Rogue might react in the battlefield. Even though he didn't know the exact outcome, he made guesses as to what some of them would be. In the midst of these thoughts, he fell asleep after a long hours of pondering.

------

Alex woke up well after the sun had rose from the horizon. He looked out the window, seeing the base covered with snow. He got out of the bed, and changed into a new set of uniform. When he walked out of his room, he saw a letter on his door, which came from Rogue by the writing on the envelope. He opened it, reading it through. When he read through it, he re-read it, trying to confirm what his eyes were seeing. He quickly opened the door to Rogue's room, and saw Rogue sitting quietly on the chair, staring back at him as if she knew he would act as he was doing at the moment.

" What's going on? Why are you…"

Rogue smiled forcefully.

" Ah'm endin' it… So dat yah don't have any regrets…"

Alex stared at her with shock.

" Why? Why are you resigning your post?"

Rogue scoffed weakly.

" Would yah rather have meh resign mah commission? Go back to bein' da lowly corporal dat Ah was? Ah just feel dat Ah can no longer function properly as yahr Executive Officer… Ah guess it's for everyone's benefit, right?"

Alex crumpled the letter in his hand, feeling anger towards Rogue.

" I… I can' approve it. I will not approve it!"

Rogue sat quietly, not even looking at Alex now.

" You know that if you resign your post, Gina or someone worse than her will fill your post. Please, don't do this…"

" But if Ah resign mah post, then Ah won't have to worry about mah emotions gettin' in da way. If Ah remain as yahr XO, den…"

Alex's eyes widened for a moment.

" What are you planning? More to the point, what are you thinking?"

Rogue sighed, then reached for her collars. She took off her golden bars, and held it in her hand.

" More and more Ah think of it… Ah don't think Ah should beh wearin' dis as well…"

Alex covered Rogue's hands with his, trying to stop Rogue from handing him the golden bars of Lieutenant, Second Class.

" Be more prudent about this… if you resign your commission and your post, you'll just go back to the cryo-facility or even be shot for treason."

Rogue let out a weak smirk.

" But Ah'll be used as a excuse… If yahr marriage don't go well, meh, and mah friends would be blamed for it… Ah can't afford to make all of'em go through it…"

Alex took the bars from Rogue's hand, then placed it on Rogue's shirt collars.

" That's why you deserve to be an officer."

Rogue waited for a moment, reflecting on her decisions.

" Why are yah doin' dis?"

Alex embraced Rogue, holding her in his arms.

" Because I need you… I need you next to me…"

Alex felt Rogue's body flinching from uneasiness, and held her tighter.

" Even though it's like this for us… We're not... We can't end it like this… I want to protect you…to the end…"

Alex soon felt something wet on his shoulder, which had smeared into his uniform. He released Rogue to see her in tears, refuting his assertion that Rogue was someone tough. He wiped Rogue's tears away, and smiled.

" I made you cry again…"

Alex tried to look for his handkerchief, but couldn't found any. Rogue then reached into her pocket, and took it out.

" Here…"

Alex wrapped his hand around Rogue's hand that held the piece of clothe, and held it firm.

" Keep it…"

Rogue pocketed the handkerchief again. Alex got up with a smile.

" We're to start training. We're going to New Los Angeles again two weeks from now."

Rogue nodded.

" Okay, sir."

Rogue stood up, and straightened out her uniform, then holstered her sidearm after working the safeties. She got out of the room, and began to knock on the doors.

" Get up! Everybody get up!"

Within five minutes, everyone got out in their dark gray uniform. Alex looked at each of them to inspect them, then turned around as he approached the door at the end of the hall that stood between him and outside.

" Let's go."

They walked to the physical training field, where numerous obstacles littered the field of about 200 meters by 300 meters in diameter. Alex stood in front of the sign, and began to brief the mutants.

" I just received an order for us to deploy to New Los Angeles two weeks from now. I know that you guys are weary of combat, but no one said war's fun. Since Corporal Hodges is to report back to his unit ASAP…"

Cpl. Hodges protested.

" But, sir! I want to stay here! I'll go through the qualification course if I have to!"

Alex sighed, while smiling at Hodges' desire.

" I also want to keep you here. Hell, we don't mind having a family doctor on call 24/7. If you really want to stay, then speak with your commanding officer. I'll see what I can do on my end. Hopefully, we'll meet again."

Hodges nodded, and then saluted. He then turned to his right in a strictly a military fashion, then walked to the barracks to collect his things. It saddened him to leave such a good men like this. Even though he was supposed to be a temporary replacement, he bonded with many of the mutants in the unit. It felt like this unit was his new family, and the thought of leaving them depressed him quite a bit. He then decided that he needed to come back at all costs. While he was deciding what his career course would be, he finished packing his belongings, and got out of the room. He then dropped a large med kit in front of Alex's room, gesturing that he would come back to reclaim it. As he left he barrack, he saw the others looking at him with pride. For most of the mutants, they respected Hodges as he was. They really hoped that they would be back. As Hodges boarded the bus, he saw the members of 3rd Platoon saluting, and he saluted back. As the bus left the base, the mutants went back to their routine. They began their three mile run, which was followed by intense sequences of pushups, and sit ups, and other basic exercises. They walked back to the barracks drenched in sweat, but Alex instructed them to pick up their gears. As they stepped out of the barracks once again with their combat gears, Rogue worried that some of them might complain, but they didn't. Everyone kept their cool, not even complaining, but accepting the fact that they were going to train. Even the Brotherhood members remained silent. As Alex ordered them off to the training ground yet again, he stood next to Rogue, and Logan.

" They're looking more and more like professionals…"

Logan smirked.

" They've realized that the only thing that's going to keep them alive is their training. Besides, it's heck of a lot better than sitting in their rooms all day…"

Alex grinned, once again realizing the level of commitment and loyalty that his men possessed. He then followed Rogue and Logan to the shooting range.

Gina was in her house, getting ready for her wedding. The whole family was excited about the event. Ever since the party was over, Terrestrial Minister Roseberg was curious as to why his daughter was as happy as she was. He was happy for her, but it didn't seem much of a joyous event yet. For him, the actual marriage was something that would put an end to his adventure to power. As the future president's father-in-law, he was sure that he would have power almost equal to the president himself. He had heard the tales of the relatives of the ancient kings, who lived with the highest privileges, and prestige. He tapped his daughter's shoulder, smiling as he did so.

" Well, princess… I guess you will be a queen sooner or later…"

Gina sighed with delight, and twirled around for a moment.

" That's not it… With it, I'm taking Alex from that filthy mutie…"

Gina's father sighed, then shook his head with smile.

" You shouldn't have to worry about that mutie… If time comes, I'll take care of it…"

Gina looked at her father suspiciously for a moment.

" What do you mean?"

The Terrestrial Minister shrugged, while maintaining a thin smile that displayed cunningness of his nature.

" If she gets in my way of things, then I'll eliminate her. But, I doubt she'll make it to the end of the war anyways…"

Just then the door opened and a woman with extravagant clothes came in, with smile as big as the other two in the room.

" So, Gina… Who is this little bitch that you keep talking about?"

Gina sighed.

" It's already taken care of mom… Besides, daddy promised that she'll be gone one way or the other."

The woman nodded, then looked at the minister.

" Aaron… I sure hope you do as you promise Gina…"

The minister nodded, then smiled.

" It will be okay, darling."

------

For the last week, Alex had behaved as any engaged men would behave in the day, but in night, he spent the darkness with constant worries about his life. No matter how much he thought it over, he knew that he and Gina was over, and that their marriage would be a very violent one. He knew that Gina would go in a frenzy once she found out that he intended to give up the sacred seat of the presidency. He was sure that the reason Gina, and Terrestrial Minister Roseberg had pushed for this wedding was for the prestige, privilege, and the power that went along with the seat that he would take. He smirked at that, in a way, thanking Gina for her own large, but unintentional contribution that made him decide so. He began to think what would have happened if he had not broke up with Gina, and started to date Jenny. He had decided to take history classes because he wanted to be with Jenny a little bit, however insignificant it seemed, more. And through those classes he took, he learned about the old days, when the world was dominantly democratic. He began to see the wisdom in the ideal. He couldn't imagine how he would manage everything around the ever expanding world. Also, Jenny had informed him about a lot of things, telling tales of her great-great-great grandfather who fought in the World War II to uphold the ideal of the democracy alive from the tyranny of the dictators with the others who volunteered. Such tales gave confidence to him that the masses could govern themselves, and that they didn't need a permanent ruler like his father. He knew that his years in college was enlightening. His acceptance of the people from other social status that had artificially developed under the influence of his grand father enabled him to accept the men he was leading now. He felt ironic that he had to thank Gina, who he loathed to the highest degree, for everything. He then concerned about who would replace Corporal Hodges. Even though he was now in the right number for a platoon, he felt as if they were short handed.

' Damn it…'

As he cursed the brass, he began to see who would have enough medical training to be a medic for the unit. In the end, he found himself to be the only one qualified medic in the unit, but he also needed to command. If he wanted to be more efficient, he needed to make Rogue perform much harder to fill the gap of leadership left by him. He decided that he would get his men to perform at a peak condition even if he was absent. To do that, he needed to teach everything that he knew to Rogue. Of course, Rogue didn't mind much. The time they spent with each other was comforting, and made them forget about the supposed wedding that would come up before they redeployed. He also noticed that his little sister was getting quite serious about her relationship with Remy. They were seen together pretty much every time except for training sessions. Therefore, the others haven't realized that their relationship was seemingly ending. Tonight was no different from any other nights to the other, but Rogue and Alex spent time in a room discussing many things.

" …So do you understand what I'm saying?"

Rogue nodded, while writing down the main points that Alex was going over. Alex smiled, then sighed as he leaned back on his chair. He stared at the ceiling for a while, then looked at Rogue again.

" I just want to make sure that tonight will be the last time we'll spend time like this…"

Rogue sighed, dropping her pen and the notepad on the desk.

" For these week, Ah completely forgot about what Ah said… About how Ah'll stay outta yahr way…"

Alex nodded, then gathered his hands together.

" I'm sorry…"

Rogue turned to Alex, and stared at his hazel eyes that seemed weary.

" Before we part like dis… Ah just wanna know… How yah feel about meh…"

Alex looked at Rogue's left wrist, which had the bracelet. He grabbed Rogue's left hand, then grabbed the bracelet. Rogue paused, shocked at what Alex was doing.

" What are yah…"

" Shhh…"

Alex unhooked the bracelet, and took it off. He then grabbed Rogue's sleeve, and led her hand to his face.

" Touch me… Then you can find out for sure…"

Rogue immediately pulled her arm back, trying to avoid the contact.

" Yah don't know what'll happen to yah… Yah'll get such a headache afterwards…"

Alex smirked.

" Just a headache? If it means that you'll know how I truly feel, then I will risk that…"

Alex saw that Rogue was still reserved about this. It seemed as though she was more terrified than he was about this. Frankly, he didn't know how he felt. He knew that he loathed Gina, and cared much about Rogue. However, he still thought of Jenny sometimes. In the midst of his confusion, he grabbed Rogue's sleeve once again, then guided her trembling hand to his face. He stared into Rogue's green eyes that trembled with anxiousness and horror. When Rogue's hand made contact with Alex, his memories, thoughts, and everything about him flooded into Rogue's mind. Alex groaned, but kept his eyes focused at Rogue. When she finally yanked her arm off of his grasp, Alex felt woozy, barely able to maintain his consciousness. Everything became a blur, but he noticed Rogue quickly putting her bracelet back on. He smiled weakly then fell forward, resting his head against Rogue's arms. Rogue drew him closer to herself, knowing what he thought of her, and what he went through as if she went through them first hand. The anger, remorse, pain, happiness, horror, and other emotional memories were inside her mind, free for her to share. She realized how Alex really felt about her, which portrayed her as a purpose in his life.

" Thank yah…"

Rogue then got up, carrying Alex to his bed. When she tucked him in, Alex opened his eyes, staring at Rogue weakly.

" Gee… What a headache…"

Rogue smirked.

" Ah warned yah…"

Rogue tried to leave Alex, but he grabbed her sleeve once again.

" Please, don't…"

Rogue stopped, and turned back to Alex.

" Yah should sleep… Yah have to… Yah have to get ready for yahr weddin', right?"

Alex pulled Rogue closer, holding her in his arms.

" I don't think I can do that…"

Rogue didn't speak any words, because she understood… Because she knew how Alex's true feelings were. Alex stared into Rogue's eyes for a while, trying to see what she was thinking. He then approached closer, barely hair widths away from each other. Rogue closed her eyes, then withdrew.

" It's wrong… We can't beh doing dis…"

Alex remained quiet for a moment, then spoke.

" You know how I feel about you. Then this isn't wrong… It's right."

Rogue sighed, then got out of the bed.

" Ah better go, sir…"

Alex sighed, then nodded.

" Okay…"

Rogue navigated through the dark room, and opened the door. She then looked back at Alex looking back at her with sadness. She desired to stay, but it didn't seem like a smart decision. They would be separate individuals, with their ties severed mercilessly by the others. She felt it necessary to end it here, before it would harm themselves. She sighed, then closed the door behind her. As she let go of the door handle, she felt her eyes blur, then a wet trail that followed the curves of her face. She entered her room, then threw herself on to the bed, afterwards buried her face into the pillow and cried as loud as she could. Her cries of pain, and sorrow, however, didn't escape the walls. Alone in her sadness, she shed her tears freely, along with her wail of sorrow.

Alex opened his eyes at the sound of alarm clock going off. He swiftly gave it a good slamming of his fist to turn it off, then got up. His hazel eyes trailed out to the window, where the field in which men trained for their lives was empty, and full of snow that had yet again piled onto what remained the day before. He laid back in the warmth of blankets, until the holographic monitor for the computer appeared, and a little chime indicating that he had received a message. He crawled out of the bed, and then touched the illuminated keyboard to read it. After he read a line, he deleted it.

' I know, I know…'

He got into a casual clothes, which consisted of a pair of black pants, dark gray turtle-neck shirt, and a black trench coat designed to be worn over the uniform. After he locked the door, he stepped out of the barracks and into the car. Charlie looked at the first kid with some concern, then drove out of the base.

" Sir, is there something on your mind?"

Alex sighed, then leaned back.

" No, Charlie… It's nothing…"

Charlie nodded, but didn't say anything for a while. Frankly, he dared not speak to the passenger to the back. He was just a lowly driver, while the man behind him was the son of the president. Alex noticed the look on Charlie's face, then decided that he wanted to hear what Charlie wanted to say.

" What's on your mind, Charlie?"

Charlie looked back through the rear-view mirror with surprise, then fear.

" Nothing, sir."

Alex sighed.

" Come on, lay it down… I want to hear what you have to say."

Charlie resisted. He feared what Alex, or for that matter what president would think.

" It's nothing, sir."

Alex waited for a moment, trying to see why his driver was reluctant to speak to him.

" Charlie, your opinion matters too. I want to hear what you're saying."

Alex's eyes stared at Charlie, trying to coax him into saying what he had in his mind. Finally, Charlie placed the car in auto-drive, and turned around.

" Well, I was just wondering why you are not marrying that woman…"

Alex sighed, avoiding Charlie's eyes from overwhelming guilt.

" It's complicated…"

Charlie looked at Alex for a while, then sighed.

" I do not think there is anything that would be complicated for a couple in love…"

Alex shook his head.

" What you don't know, Charlie, is that she is a mutant…"

Alex looked at Charlie's eyes twitching, even though his facial muscle was rigid as if it was carved out of stone.

" I thought you would react that way… My father was right… The world isn't ready to know… It's not ready to know that their lives are being safeguarded by a bunch of mutants…"

Charlie shook his head.

" Still, sir… I think of her better than Ms. Roseberg or other politicians."

Alex finally burst into laughter. His demeanor was strange to Charlie.

" What is it, master Alex?"

" You sure got that right!"

Charlie nodded, slowly, then paid attention back to the road. He then saw the car nearing its destination, and took control of the vehicle again. Soon, he stopped near a large, and extravagant tailor shop.

" We are here, sir."

Alex looked at the shop, and sighed in frustration.

' Here I go…'

------

Remy and Liz met again in the mess hall, and sat in front of each other for breakfast. They've been quite discreet about their meetings, but they knew the secrecy wouldn't last for long, therefore they tried to make it last as they could.

" I wonder what my brother would do…"

Remy cocked his head.

" What do chere mean?"

Liz sighed, then tapped her fingers on the table, while the other hand played with the food with the fork.

" He's getting married to Gina today… I wonder what he'll do… and what Rogue would do…"

Remy smirked.

" Remy think el capitan would say 'good-bye' to that gal… No way she getting married to el capitan…"

Liz nodded, then continued to eat her breakfast.

" Let's hope so."

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What _will_ Alex say? Is the upcoming mission going to be a smooth one given that everyone went through an emotional journey of their own?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	17. Chapter 17

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

-

Alex stood in front of the door, which slid open at his presence. He saw his father walking towards him with little bit of anxiety.

" It's a good decision…"

Before he could say anything, he was surrounded by tailors, getting the measurements done like mindless drones programmed to take the measurements without bothering the person being measured. As they finished their measurements and walked away, Alex sat in front of his father across the table.

" What is it that you seek to gain by my marriage?"

The president sat quietly, sipping his tea as he stared into his son's eyes.

" Well? Don't I deserve to know why I have to do this? Why do I have to go through this marriage with someone I do not love?"

The president sighed, and then lowered his cup.

" Because, I will get more political power. You will have more power, and your grandson, and so forth. You will learn, my son, that the people are the most ignorant and dumbest beings ever to walk on earth, and that they need to be told what to do by ones like us."

Alex looked at his father fiercely.

" You still haven't answered my question. Why should I go through with this marriage?"

The president looked at his son for a moment, then smirked.

" Because, frankly, Terrestrial Minister Roseberg and I were friends for a long time, and we've planned this marriage since the beginning. You didn't have any choice from the start…"

Alex's eyes twitched.

" I see…"

He saw his father leaning back against the sofa, and sipping his tea once again.

" I want to make sure… Did you really break up with that mutant?"

Alex waited for a while, weighing his choices.

" I…"

Alex continued to struggle between his true feelings for both Rogue and Gina, while in the back of his mind, he also thought of Jenny. It was very difficult, if not impossible for him to decide, but he managed after taking a few minutes.

" Yes…"

The president smiled, and then got up.

" Well, let's get the wedding started…"

Alex got up, only to be led by the tailors to a room to be dressed in tuxedo. While he was standing still, the tailors sought to every last detail, and the president came with a box.

" Give this to her."

Alex was rather surprised at his father's preparations. Every detail was already taken care of.

" You've planned this for a long time, haven't you, father?"

" It cost us a lot to prepare this marriage, so don't do anything rash. The world is watching."

Alex looked at his father, then to the door leading back outside. Both Alex and the president got in, and drove to the location.

' The whole world is watching… Come on, Alex. You have to think of something…'

Back in the base, Rogue finished her morning run, and the shower. She sat behind the desk, looking through the notes that she wrote down. She also thought of the memories she absorbed from Alex. She soon shook the thoughts away, not wishing to think on the matter any further. She then got dressed, casting her towels away, and getting into the combat uniform. She then looked at her leg, where the ghastly wound once existed. For a moment, she wished that it was still there. She thought that it would have prevented her relationship with Alex. In the midst of her thoughts, she heard the door knocking.

" Who is it?"

" It's Lieutenant Austin. Do you remember me?"

Rogue searched her memories, and remembered the man back at the party. She finished buttoning up her shirt, and hollered out.

" Come in!"

Lt. Josh Austin came in, dressed in Class A uniform.

" I thought you might want to come with me to Alex's wedding."

Immediately, Josh noticed Rogue's face turning away. It occurred to him that Alex and Rogue's relationship was quite serious.

" Sorry."

Rogue looked out the window, then sighed.

" So yah're goin' to da weddin'?"  
Josh nodded.

" Yeah. All the ministers and their families are invited…"

Rogue nodded slowly.

" Ah see…"

Josh smirked, and then sat down on the desk.

" Actually, I was thinking about not going."

Rogue looked at Josh suspiciously.

" Why?"

Josh quickly raised his hands, trying to ease Rogue.

" Hey! I don't want to see my best friend marrying that witch if I can."

" So what do yah know about Captain and Lieutenant Bradford?"

Josh sighed.

" Well, they're smart, honorable, and let's see… Oh, yeah. They're both certified psychiatrists, as well as surgery…"

Rogue looked at Josh seemingly intoxicated in remembering the past.

" …But, Alex always had the most bad luck with girls… It's not like I'm criticizing his tastes. I can see why he appreciates them… It's just that everyone of them seem to go through such tragedy…"

Rogue looked at Josh for a moment. She then got up.

" Ah have to supervise da trainin' instead of da captain, so…"

Josh nodded, and got up.

" Okay. I have to go to that dumb party anyways. Personally, I'd rather go back to the front than watch that witch having the day of her life."

With that, Josh left Rogue's room, and headed to his car. Rogue stood dumbfound, unable to see whether she was just hit on by Josh or not. She got out of the barracks, and saw her friends waiting for her. Rogue then smiled at them.

" Well, captain said we should train our abilities today… Da paper work's all done, so yah can take off yahr bracelets… Just make sure yah put'em back on…"

The others smirked, and took their bracelets off. Logan flicked his wrists to release his claws, and observed the black, non-shining claws. He then tried to cut himself with the claws, finding it useless effort. Ororo hopped to the skies, flying across the training facility, and catching the attention of the other units. She then summoned various weather phenomenon to test her abilities. Each of them used their abilities freely, but in a conservative manner. Rogue just sat alone on the grass hill, looking at her friends letting loose on their mutant abilities. She then looked at her hands, which stared back at her bare. She thought of removing her bracelet, but decided against it. She didn't know when she would have to talk with some of the others, and having her abilities while in the midst of the others was a bad idea. Instead, Rogue took out the notes and began to review it. She had them memorized, but she somehow wanted to find improvements, to seek flaws that needed to be fixed. She guessed that it was from Alex's memories, the ever thinking mind that began to motivate her own. She was surprised at how much thoughts he had, all the while doing things that he did. It was the art of multi-tasking at the finest. She began to adjust to it. Her mind began to absorb every bit of detail from her senses and processing them in a more efficient way. She then realized that she understood all the things that Alex knew. She smirked at the thought. She was like some super villain in the comic books, able to grow smarter with everyone she absorbed.

' Heh! Ah guess Ah have an unofficial doctorate degree now…'

Just then, Kitty and Piotr sat next to her with big smile.

" What is it?"

" Why don't you loosen up yourself?"

Rogue shook her head.

" It's okay… Ah've got thin's to do on mah own…"

Kitty nodded, and got up with Piotr.

" Hey, Kitty. Just make sure yah guys don't make any trouble…"

Kitty nodded, as well as Piotr.

" Yes, ma'am, lieutenant Rogue, ma'am!"

Rogue sighed, and shook her head all the while smiling at Kitty's efforts to cheer her up. She looked around the snow covered field, where her friends now began to build snowmen and having a snow fight. It was as if things came back to normal, like hundred years before when there was no such thing as Anti-Mutant Law.

-

Alex saw the crowd gathered for the wedding. The cameras were everywhere, as well as the guests. The old cathedral echoed with minor gossips and other noises. As he approached, the crowd stared at him, while the reporters began to speak to their microphones. He saw his friend, Josh, staring back at him with some concern, but he was the only one who was doing so. The others didn't know what was in his mind. They didn't know of the conflict waging on inside his mind. As he took his position in front of the cardinal, the wedding march played, and the door opened to let the bride enter. Alex held on to the box firmly, as he watched the person he loathed take her steps closer and closer towards him. He wanted to hide or run away, and wanted to find some ways to postpone this, if not avoid it entirely. He wasn't ready for this at all. In this state of confusion, the cardinal began his sermons, noting the sanctity of the marriage, and other things. Alex's hazel eyes trailed towards the cameras often. In fact, it shifted from Gina to the cameras, and so forth. Soon, cardinal finished the sermon, and moved on.

" Do you, Gina Roseberg, take this man as your lawful husband, to…"

Alex began to panic, with the moment of decision drawing ever so closer as seconds passed by without seeing the light of the exit from this marriage that felt like a nightmare.

" …I do."

The cardinal turned to Alex.

" Do you, Alexander Bradford, take this woman as your lawful wife, to cherish her, and love her until death tear you apart?"

Alex stood silently, which made the crowd become anxious with the anticipation. Josh saw his friend acting very uncomfortable, which happened only rarely. His eyes seemed as though looking for a source to draw his strength, some place to draw his courage from.

" I…"

Gina's blue eyes implored Alex to answer. To Alex, it seemed as though everyone pushed him to answer.

" I… I can't."

The others began to gasp with surprise, and gossiping, while some of them showed anger. Alex turned around to face everyone.

" Men are dying out in the battlefield. If I marry her now, she will surely become a widow by the end, and saddened with grief. It is, therefore, my decision to postpone this marriage for the end, where happiness can really blossom without any fear for tragedy."

As he took steps down the path, the people rose from their seats, and watched Alex walking past them. Josh looked at his friend passing by him, and began to clap. One by one, the others joined in. Of course, the president and the Roseberg's didn't do so out of either pride or anger. But to the many others seemed to like Alex's decision. They thought that he played the game smart. Josh got out of the crowd, and followed his friend out of the cathedral.

" Hey!"

Alex turned around at Josh's voice.

" Josh."

Josh smirked and led Alex to his car.

" That was good. Damn! I don't think I would have gotten out of it."

Alex sighed, and got into the car. He saw his belongings already inside, and Charlie closing the door from the other side.

" Good bye, master Alex."

Alex smiled, as the car started.

" See you later, Charlie."

Charlie nodded, and watched Alex leave. In the car, Alex looked down at his hand with some feelings of emptiness.

" Hey, Alex. Do you love Lieutenant Rogue?"

Alex turned to his friend with puzzled look.

" What do you mean?"

Josh smirked.

" I want to know whether you love Lieutenant Rogue."

Alex sighed, and nodded slowly.

" Yeah…"

Josh placed the car on the auto-drive and leaned back.

" I have to apologize to you… I think I hit on her earlier…"

Alex cocked his head, and looked at Josh strangely.

" Hit on her?"

Josh sighed, then thought about it. He searched his own thoughts to see what he was feeling.

" Damn… I never told you, didn't I? How I was jealous of you getting all those nice girls… Christina, Mary, Felicia, Jenny, and now Rogue…"

Alex looked at his friend with some guarded look. Josh saw it, and smirked.

" Hey, don't worry about it. I said I _was_ jealous of you."

Alex thoughts eased somewhat, and a thin smile appeared.

" So you found a girl for yourself?"

Josh chuckled, and then reached into his jacket, and took out a small picture.

" That's Maria Kramer. She's a nurse that I met in the infirmary."

Alex looked at the picture, then smiled again.

" She looks nice."

Josh smiled.

" Yeah. That's right. She's sure nice… What I'm trying to say is… I hope your luck change with Rogue… I know how you have a bad luck with all the girls you get involved in…"

Alex sighed, and his memories went through each of the girls he dated. Christina, his childhood crush, who had moved to Buenos Aires, which was now a heap of ruins. He then remembered Mary, who was do doubt, assisting the others in Asian front as a doctor. He then thought of Felicia, his girlfriend back in high school. It was a strained relationship from the start, something that seemed almost impossible due to her parents' relationship with his father. Like his friend said, he had the most worst luck of not having to maintain the relationship for more than a year. The only girl that he had some luck with was Gina, whom he now hated more than anything else. In part, he figured that he was never serious about relationships until he met Jenny. He then looked at Josh again.

" So why did you ask me about Rogue?"

Josh sighed.

" I have to thank you two. If I didn't see you two together back in that engagement party, I wouldn't have gotten the courage to ask Maria."

Alex nodded.

" I see. So, what does she think of your job? Being a soldier, that is…"

Josh sighed.

" She doesn't like it much. Her brother died in New Los Angeles. She doesn't see the point of the fight according to her. She doesn't buy all the reports either. I'm sure you don't as well."

Alex nodded.

" Yeah… People are not dumb. They will figure things out eventually."

As they continued to discuss things in their lives, the car approached the base, and stopped at the gate. They waved their ID's and finally entered the base.

" Okay. I guess we'll see each other out there, in battlefield."

" Well, don't try to get yourself killed, got it?"

The two smiled at each other, and shook each other's hand. They knew that it would be a while until they see each other again.

" Take care…"

" You too…"

Alex entered the barracks to see everyone coming out of their rooms to go to the mess hall.

" Captain!"

" Where were you, sir?"

Alex answered each question, then went into his room to change. As he began to take off his jacket, he heard the door opening behind him.

" Ah thought yah'd go on a honeymoon with Mrs. Bradford…"

Alex smirked, but didn't turn around. He took off his shirt, and then got his uniforms on.

" Well, duty calls, Rogue…"

" Oh…"

Alex sensed the heartbreak in the voice. He turned around, while showing his hands.

" Well, I didn't say which duty called me…"

Rogue's eyes focused on Alex's hands, and found no ring of any significance that she was looking for.

" What…"

Alex sighed.

" I managed to postpone it… But, I hope I can find a way out of this thing completely by that time…"

Rogue's face didn't reveal any emotions, but her eyes seemed to be filled with sense of relief. Alex then looked at the orders once again.

" Are they ready?"

Rogue looked at Alex.

" Huh?"

Alex chuckled then, pointed to the hallway out the door.

" Are they ready to go back out to the front?"

Rogue nodded slowly.

" Yeah… Dey're ready."

Alex then looked at the maps again.

" I have a feeling this one is going to be a long one… I don't think we'll come back anytime soon…"

Rogue nodded reluctantly to some degree.

" Ah see…"

Alex finished getting dressed, then looked at the maps.

" We leave at 0500 tomorrow. Make sure everyone packs their gears and sleep well."

Rogue nodded, and turned around.

" Wait."

Rogue looked back, and saw Alex getting up.

" Let's go together."

They walked to the mess hall together, which was already a routine that everyone knew about. The others didn't care much about it. They thought that all of the members in the mutant platoon were all nuts, and didn't want anything to do with them. Some of the female soldiers, however, resent the fact that Capt. Bradford was dating Lt. Rogue. The guys around thought that it was all because of jealousy, which they understood to a degree. Even thought they felt so, they didn't voice their feelings because in the end, they really didn't care much about it. Both Rogue and Alex sat with the others from the unit, and began eating the dinner. Alex saw Remy and Liz together, and smiled comfortably.

" So, still a fascinating experiment?"

Liz looked at her brother for a while, then nodded.

" Oh, yeah! Remy's very fascinating. By the way, I see you didn't marry the witch."

Alex nodded, and waved his hand.

" Yep! Josh saved me just in time…"

Liz smiled as she put a piece of bread in her mouth.

" Oh, how I would love to see her face…"

They all let out a few chuckles, then settled down again. One by one, the mutants finished their meals, and headed back to the barracks. Rogue finished hers as well, then got up.

" Sir, ma'am…"

Rogue left the mess hall, leaving the two Bradford's to talk things amongst themselves. Alex then looked at his sister.

" So…"

" Be careful out there…"

Alex nodded, then smiled with confidence.

" I will be back."

Liz looked at Alex, then nodded.

" Make sure you do…"

-

Alex stood in front of his men, who were ready to go back to the world of pain, and death. He made his final inspection, making sure that no one had any unreported injuries or shortage of equipments. They all gazed at each other, and let out smirks.

" Well, let's go."

" Yes sir!"

Everyone began to board the transport plane. As they settled into get more comfortable, the pilot closed the hatches and started the usual pre-flight checks. Alex switched the radio to the frequency to the tower, and looked at his men. They all looked ready. The plane began to accelerate, then finally got off the ground. The pilot then smirked, and pulled the stick back, making the plane climb higher than before. He then pushed the throttle to maximum thrust, taking his plane to its maximum speed.

" In a little hurry, captain?"

The pilot looked back at Alex, and nodded.

" Yeah! The command wants you guys there ASAP."

Rogue then turned to the pilot.

" So when's da ETA, sir?"

The pilot looked at the instrument panels and then yelled back.

" ETA one hour!"

Everyone had their eyes wide as they heard the pilot's estimation.

" One hour?"

The pilot smirked.

" This is hypersonic transport aircraft, captain. I wouldn't have wanted to pilot this if it was just plain old supersonic. I used to be a fighter jock…"

Alex nodded, then smirked.

" I see… Air Force?"

The pilot nodded, then patted the instrument panel gently like one does to his loyal pet.

" This one's just about the dream of every fighter pilot as far as I know… Only thing is that I'd prefer weapons than carrying cargoes."

Alex chuckled.

" Well, you do have weapons. Sure, it's not as fancy as missiles, but it gets the job done."

The pilot nodded.

" Yeah. You got me there."

While Alex and the flight crew chatted away, the others began to look at each other.

" How are you doing, Jean?"

Jean looked at Scott, and sighed.

" I don't know, Scott… I don't feel so good about this…"

Scott rested his hand on top of Jean's and then held it gently.

" It's going to be okay. We've been through this already, remember?"

The two nodded, and leaned against each other. Wanda sat back, looking at the scenery around her. During the time they were out fighting in this god forsaken war, many appeared to have found someone. Rogue had Captain Bradford, Jean had Scott, Kitty had Piotr, and Remy had Lieutenant Bradford. She felt somewhat left out. She then looked at Toad, who pretty much had a crush on her ever since they met. Her eyes then scanned through the others, and found Pyro looking at her as well. She then looked at Kurt, who was thinking about something. She figured that it was her true nature coming out at last. Even though she behaved like angst filled Goth, underneath her cover was just a woman. Wanda felt somewhat pathetic at the fact that she seemed to have found it out the last. Her eyes became calm, and her breath became shallow a bit. As before, Toad tapped her shoulder.

" Hey, sweet cheeks, how are you doing?"

Toad braced for the outburst that would surely arise after what he said. However, Wanda seemed to remain silent, not even looking at him. Then, she turned her eyes towards Toad, making him wonder what was happening.

" Hey, Toad…"

Toad gulped and then spoke quietly, which sounded more like squeal of an animal trapped in its own fear.

" Yeah?"

" Never mind…"

Logan and Ororo looked at the 'kids' trying to calm themselves down. They felt somewhat comfortable knowing that they were now very responsible for their own behaviors. The maturity of them had exceeded any of their expectations. Logan smirked, and then looked at Ororo.

" Well, they sure grew up the last few months…"

Ororo nodded.

" Yes. They did."

The transport reduced speed as it neared the New Los Angeles airspace. The pilot instructed everyone to strap in, then returned his attention back to the world outside. The co-pilot, on the other hand, fixed his eyes upon the instrument panels to give information to the pilot.

" Two hundred… One hundred… Fifty… Ten… Five… Two meters… Touch down!"

The rear hatch opened up to let the mutants in the back get off the aircraft. The pilot then closed the hatch then lift off back into the sky. Alex shielded his face from the dust rising from the thruster exhausts, and then turned to the others.

" Let's go!"

They all rushed to the building that served as the headquarters for the operations in American front.

" Third platoon, Delta company reporting as ordered, sir."

The general turned around, and smiled.

" Good to see you, captain. And you too, Sergeant Logan."

Logan smirked.

" Well, General Rogers. It's good to see you too, sir."

Gen. Rogers walked to the briefing room, and then began to manipulate the holographic map of the whole theatre of operation.

" Throughout this war, we've been only able to observe the position beyond the frontline with only the satellites. The Pentagon wants more. They want your unit to insert behind the enemy lines, and do a little recon. Your primary objective is to find any resistance groups and aid them. Your secondary objective is to scope out any strategic points of interest for a coordinated assault by naval and air assets."

Alex looked at the map. They were to insert into the jungles of Amazon. The last of the great jungles on Earth. He felt somewhat ominous as he imagined the swamps and other things.

" How will we be supplied, sir?"

Gen. Rogers took out a little piece of paper, and read it.

" Standard reconnaissance load out. Contact me whenever you need it. Your insertion will be from the sea, so keep that in mind."

Rogue and Alex both received the paper map of the region, then got out of the briefing room. As they walked to their temporary quarters, the two stared at each other with concern.

" It's gonna beh dangerous won't it?"

Alex sighed.

" Yeah… Not that the other missions weren't dangerous… This time, we won't be able to call support from either from the air or from the sea. We'll be completely isolated."

Everyone dumped their gears on the floor and gathered around the map that Alex laid out. He explained in great detail on how they would conduct this task. Silence loomed over the room as everyone became concerned about the task.

" This is… It's impossible!"

Logan shook his head.

" It's possible. During the World War II, there was a group called OSS that conducted similar mission in the Nazi occupied Europe. Comparing that with this… This is heck of a lot easier."

The others looked at the map again to reorient themselves. Piotr, on the other hand, looked at Alex.

" So how much do we carry, captain?"

Alex thought for a moment, then sighed.

" Pack a little bit of ammo, but the majority of the rucksacks should carry food and water. Once we insert, the silencer is to be attached always. I don't want us to get into any firefights. Our job is reconnaissance only. You and Logan should carry M-3A1s as well as your M-33M1s. I will carry as much as medical supplies as I can, so Rogue. You will have to carry some of my load. If you wish to drop either one of your rifles, you can."

Rogue thought about it, then sighed.

" Ah'll take'em all."

Alex then looked at Remy.

" Remy, you take the explosives…"

He then pointed to Fred Dukes.

" You take the rocket."

Everyone agreed on what to take. With the plans all set, everyone walked over to the supply depot, and grabbed whatever they needed. After packing their rucksacks until it seemed like it would explode, Alex got Rogue's attention by tapping her shoulder.

" Follow me."

Rogue followed Alex around the corner of the building when he looked at her grimly.

" For this one, you'll take point. I want to let Sgt. Logan handle it, but with the machine gun in his possession, I don't think it's prudent. If you think otherwise, tell me."

Rogue sighed, then expressed her opinion.

" He should take da point. With his senses he can find'em better dan meh."

Alex nodded, then tapped Rogue's shoulder.

" Okay. Swap your sniper rifle with his machine gun."

Rogue nodded, and went back into the supply room. Everyone came back out with their gear. One by one, they stepped into the transport aircraft that would ferry them back towards East, near the former Gulf of Mexico. From there, they were scheduled to sail by ship to the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of their insertion. Alex looked back at the base and drew a deep breath, then stepped into the aircraft. The large, gray aircraft lifted off into the sky with the setting sun behind it, and everyone inside felt the rush of adrenaline in their systems as nervousness started.

-

In a cave-like dwelling, an alien entered a room filled with abstract maps of the American continents with glowing stones that marked the positions of various elements.

" We've detected a transport aircraft leaving for the sea to the east."

The woman who gazed at the map smirked, and nodded. She then dismissed the alien.

" Dismissed."

The woman looked at the map again, then smirked.

" Come if you dare…"

She turned to face the mirror, which revealed a woman with wildly grown hair with a scar to the right side of the face.

-

Will their clandestine mission be a success? Or will it result in a failure? Who was the alien woman that became in charge of the American front?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R R. I would love to have your comments.


	18. Chapter 18

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

* * *

A plane approached a very large, yet strangely shaped vessel. As it approached the ship, the plane came to hovering position, and the ropes extended down to the deck. One by one, men came down the rope and landed on the curved deck. They were greeted by some of the people in white uniform. 

" Welcome, Captain Bradford."

Alex looked at the man, who had a mustache and the silvery star insignias on his shoulders.

" Admiral Kovachenko. Nice to see you sir."

Adm. Kovachenko smirked.

" Yes, captain. Please, come. We'll set sail soon."

One by one, they went below the deck, and closed the hatch. As they settled themselves in rather spacious quarters, the captain of the ship came on the intercom.

" Prepare for dive!"

Suddenly, Pietro looked at the others with concern and surprise.

" Dive! You mean this thing's a submarine?"

Alex nodded.

" This is ESN-17814 Thor. The fusion powered nuclear attack/missile submarine."

Everyone looked at Alex with shock.

" You mean to say that you succeeded in making a fusion reactor?"

Alex nodded again.

" Yeah. Virtually every vehicles are powered by compact fusion reactors. Didn't you notice the quietness of all of them? Anyways… Don't worry about meltdown or any other accidents. We've had the fusion technology for nearly 60 years now, and the reactors are monitored by quantum computers."

Rogue looked at the room, then nodded.

" Ah guess dat's why dis thin's so large…"

The submarine began its gradual dive to the bottom of the ocean. At about three hundred meters below surface, the sub came to level. As soon as the vessel came to level, the activities picked up. The crew members roamed about, while essential crew remained in watch stations. Rogue saw the scuba gear in the locker for her use, and then checked over her gears. Alex came into the room, holding two trays of food with him.

" Hey."

" Sir…"

Alex sat next to Rogue, and then handed one of the trays.

" Here."

Rogue looked at the tray, which was full of breakfast menus. She put it aside for a moment then placed everything back to where they were.

" Hurry up and eat. They're going to get cold."

Rogue nodded and grabbed the tray. She grabbed what looked like a burrito and took a bite.

" Is dis breakfast burrito or somethin'?"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah. Much quicker to dispose of actually, and it doesn't take much of space compared to making all of them separately."

Rogue looked at the tray and then found a little packaging of hot sauce. She ripped it and pretty much dumped it in the burrito.

" Hey! It's not good for you to eat such thing for breakfast."

Rogue scoffed, and enjoyed the spicier version.

" So how long 'til we get goin'?"

Alex looked at the watch.

" Five hours."

Rogue nodded, and then pulled out the map again. She looked at the markings of the points of interests to make sure they were correct, and that she memorized the plans for approach and escape routes perfectly. Alex looked at Rogue prepping for the mission and smirked. He placed his hand over the map, and smiled.

" We've been over it a million times already. It'll be okay."

Alex saw the nervousness in Rogue's eyes. It was expected, but he wanted to make her feel more comfortable than this.

" It's okay…"

Rogue's body tensed for a moment as Alex's hand rested upon her shoulder, then it soon relaxed. She dropped the map on the floor, then sighed out loud.

" Ah guess yah're right…"

The others occupied their time with their own activities. In the guys' bunk room, Logan adjusted the sniper rifle time after time, trying to get used to the capabilities of the weapon that he would be using. Scott turned from his bunk opposite to Logan's.

" Is it going to be hard?"

Logan sighed, then placed the weapon back in its place.

" Yeah. How hard do you think it is to look for people who would probably be hiding from anything other than themselves in the vast land and try to convince them to join you, all the while trying to keep ourselves from the enemy?"

" Holy shit!"

Logan scoffed.

" Well, it's not that bad. Captain's words are worth more than others. He's the son of the president. They know he will keep his word."

Remy, who was placed on the bunk above Logan sighed.

" Remy don't know… This uh… 'behind the enemy lines' kinda mission sound too dangerous…"

Piotr, who was located left of Logan poked his head out.

" Da. It is very dangerous…"

Their discussion was interrupted by Pietro.

" Hey, we've kicked their asses before. It won't be that bad."

Logan looked at Pietro.

" You ever tried to fight someone in their own turf? It's damned near impossible, kid."

Pyro nodded slowly.

" I agree with Mr. Logan on this mates. It's going to be very hard."

Pyro then changed the subject of the conversation.

" So, what do you think of our 'lieutenant?'"

Kurt poked his head out at the mentioning of Rogue.

" You mean Rogue?"

Pyro nodded.

" Yeah. She seem a little upset lately…"

Logan nodded in agreement.

" Come to think of it, yeah."

Remy sighed.

" Remy think it's that damn Lieutenant Roseberg. Lieutenant Bradford says she a really bad gal. Dumped el Capitan after cheating on him, and did a lot of things afterwards."

Scott shrugged.

" But wasn't it back in college? Do you think there's still…"

Remy sighed again.

" Lieutenant Roseberg thinks she owns el Capitan, monsieur Summers. Well with mademoiselle Rogue in her way, Remy sure that that gal's got a score to settle."

While the guys were having a conversation, the girls were having their own conversation the next door. Ororo, Jean, Kitty and Wanda sat together on the floor amongst themselves, discussing many things that went on.

" You girls sure took care of yourselves great…"

Jean shook her head.

" No, Ms. Monroe… We just followed orders."

" Yeah. It wasn't, like, that hard."

Ororo nodded with smile, then looked at Wanda.

" What's wrong?"

Wanda stared at the floor for a moment, then sighed out loud.

" You all have a boyfriend, right?"

Ororo shook her head.

" Well, not me…"

Wanda nodded.

" Yeah. Well… during the ride to here, I realized that I want to have a boyfriend as well… It's been kind of lonely… I guess seeing Ro… I mean, the lieutenant hanging around with the captain made me realize it…"

Kitty leaned closer to Wanda.

" So, got anyone in mind?"

Wanda sighed.

" Well, Toad's been attached to me, and some of the others…"

Kitty's eyes went wide with surprise.

" Did you say Toad?"

Wanda nodded.

" Yeah…"

" Wow…"

Ororo smiled to Wanda.

" Well, good for you. I'm sure you'll be happy together."

Wanda then sighed again.

" I was wondering, should I ask first or should I acknowledge one of his quirky advances?"

Jean shrugged.

" It all depends on you…"

Wanda nodded hesitantly.

" Okay."

Everyone onboard the submarine went into alert as the sub neared its destination. The crew members all reported to their battle stations, and as for the members of the 3rd Platoon, they donned the wetsuit over their fatigues, and dragged their tightly sealed equipments to the forward compartment with the oxygen tanks. They gathered around the pressurization chamber.

" Okay. You know what to do, right?"

Everyone nodded when Alex closed the hatch. The chamber began to increase the pressure, getting their bodies to be at the same pressure as that of the water outside. Everyone then got the oxygen masks on, then took a breath. As they took the first breath, the oxygen of equal pressure rushed into their lungs, and Alex pressed the button to flood the chamber. The cold ocean water filled the compartment entirely. Alex then opened the hatch, then swam outside. One by one, the others followed Alex out of the submarine. Jean looked around the murky depths of the Atlantic Ocean, then saw the faint light beacon of the others above. She followed the light like the others did. They planned it so that they would follow the light in front of them at all times. Alex gazed at the small computer that displayed the underwater map of some sort, which also marked the positions of other team members. He kept his depth at about fifty feet, and continued ahead. They had about two miles of swim ahead of them, which he began to worry. The water was much colder than they anticipated, and the night sky didn't help the matter much, either. He looked back towards Logan, who he was deeply concerned about. Not matter how tough Logan was, he was sure that Logan would be tired after this swim. He turned about twenty degrees south, making the final course correction before they reached the shore. After about an hour and a half of swim, they reached the delta of the Amazon river. They came out of the water with their gear in their hands. Alex approached the tree lines carefully with his rifle up and ready. He then picked a spot for them to regroup and hide their swimming equipments. He kneeled down on the ground for a while, with his rifle held snuggly against his shoulder and cheek. He then felt a tap on his shoulder, and heard the familiar voice.

" Friendly."

Alex took a glance at the voice, then smirked.

" Rogue."

Soon after, everyone else gathered one by one. They began to dump their swimming gears into a pit carefully dug up by Lance. He then covered the scuba gears and then double checked their equipments.

" Okay. Let's go."

They slowly moved towards their next objective, which was about twenty miles west of their current position. Logan headed off the group, taking point by moving a hundred feet in front of the rest. He stopped for a while, sniffing the air to see if there were anybody else around. He then switched to thermal vision, from which he found nothing but the heat signature of the others. They were alone in this part of the jungle, which made him curious.

' Where are they?'

He walked carefully through the vegetation, and the water that came up to his waist. He began to worry about the crocodiles and other types of animals that might attack them. He was also surprised about why there was a forest like this that spanned for hundreds of square miles. He thought that it would be settled by now, but the maps told him otherwise. He stopped behind a tree, then waited for the others to come up. He waited for more than five minutes when Alex and the others came. Alex came next to Logan, then whispered.

" What is it?"

Logan looked around then leaned closer.

" Don't you find it strange, sir? This is beyond the frontline, and there's no sign of them."

Alex nodded in agreement.

" I guess so."

Alex looked at the map for a while, then the surroundings. Rogue came to him, curious as to what he was thinking.

" What is it, sir?"

Alex remained silent for a while, with his eyes trailing the maps and then mouthing the words as he thought about something.

" Alex?"

Alex turned his attention back to Rogue, then pointed to a spot towards the mountains.

" We should get out of the river system. I don't want any injury this early."

Rogue nodded, as well as the others. Kitty looked around, then agreed. She didn't like having the water coming up to her ribs at all. Kurt was also having the same problem. Being one of the shortest members of the team, the water was above his waist, which hindered his movement. As they got out of the water, and moved towards the land, everyone felt the wet uniform clinging to their bodies. Soon, their lower bodies became cold as the night air chilled the water absorbed by the fabrics. The only good thing was that they had sealed up their boots, therefore the feet were pretty warm. However, the part of the trousers that were tucked inside the boots began to absorb the water as well. Alex then decided to take a break, and dry off the clothes.

" Mr. Logan, are there any contacts?"

The reply came soon after.

" Negative."

Alex held up his arm, and stopped the advance. He then called Logan back to the group, and set up a resting ground. Everyone brought out a small gadget that was designed to generate heat, and began to dry up themselves. Alex's hazel eyes scanned the woods intensely. He knew that everyone felt the fatigue from the swim that they made, which compounded with the jet lag. He was sure that the others needed some sleep.

" Lieutenant."

Rogue turned her attention towards Alex, stopping her actions while doing so.

" Sir?"

" Sorry to say this, but I don't think we can sleep tonight. We have to get to Point Alpha as quickly as possible."

Rogue nodded, then smirked.

" Ah thought so, sir."

When their clothes were fully dried, they packed up and continued their march through the dense jungle to the spot that the brass designated for reconnaissance.

A gigantic ship floated on the surface, with its flat deck littered with various aircrafts. A man in his fifty's stood on top of the tower overlooking the deck, with his mouth puffing up the pipe. Soon after, he was joined by another, but in much lower rank.

" You wanted to see me, colonel?"

The older man turned around.

" Lieutenant Morris. Nice to see you again…"

Lt. Robert Morris nodded.

" Thank you, sir."

The colonel sighed, letting out the smoke.

" The 9th platoon is on stand by alert. You guys will escort the CA-102 in and out of the enemy territory on re-supply missions."

" Yes, sir. May I ask which unit the aircraft will be re-supplying, sir?"

The colonel smirked.

" You should know… There's only one unit that the CA-102 is assigned to…"

Robert nodded.

" I see… Thank you, sir."

After saluting, Robert left to get back to his men. Every one of them were young, but their eyes displayed their true nature. They were all battle hardened men, who went through at least two of the major battles and survived through it. He looked at the man who had a badge with many chevrons.

" Sergeant. We have our orders. I want the unit ready to go anytime, anywhere."

The sergeant, who looked oldest of the young bunch, nodded, and went back to his duties. A corporal, however, sought to know more.

" So, what's the assignment, sir?"

Robert drew a deep breath, then sighed.

" We will accompany the CA-102 in its missions to South America as fire support, and act as Search And Rescue team for the fleet. In specifics, our primary concern is to look after the transport that will re-supply the 3rd platoon on their recon mission behind enemy lines."

Everyone else came to shock when they heard the specifics. They didn't know why they were assigned to this ship until now.

" Isn't it the job of the Assault Infantry, sir? I think the brass mixed it up a bit…"

Robert shook his head.

" No. They got it correct. The 3rd platoon is led by Captain Alexander Bradford, the president's son."

The others stared at each other, unable to think of what to say. Things began to make sense for them slowly, though it was not yet a completed picture.

" So, the brass wants us to protect him, sir?"

Robert nodded slowly.

" That's my guess."

Everyone nodded at each other, accepting the task given to them. Robert sighed as he sat on his bunk. He began to worry about what the others would be going through now. He knew that they had just went in five hours ago. Also, the daylight was fast approaching. He hoped that everyone would make through this okay. He had grown so fond of them, whom he had trained, ate together, and fought together.

' Good luck, captain.'

As the sun rose from the east a group of figures laid down behind a small ditch, looking down at what seemed to be a small, primitive-looking village. For casual observer, it would have appeared to be another village made by human ingenuity, but up close, the buildings were nothing more than a cover for some kind of equipment. Alex gazed through the binocular for an hour straight. After their arrival to this location during pre-dawn, he had divided the unit into two squads. He decided they would rotate the watch duty, and allow the other to rest while one conducted reconnaissance. He wanted to get closer, and have a good look at it, however it felt unfeasible to do so. He needed to get to the other objectives as well. As he gazed into the binoculars, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

" So, how does it look, sir?"

Alex turned his eyes to his left, and saw Rogue looking through the binocular of her own.

" Well, it looks like some kind of depot. I don't know what it is though."

Rogue took her eyes off of the binocular.

" Could it beh a weapons depot?"

Alex shook his head.

" No… Not this far back… Besides, they don't seem to need any recharging for their weapons."

Rogue stared back through the binocular and then scanned the area. There seemed to be about four sets of patrol teams, with two per team. What intrigued the two was that they never seemed to venture out further.

" Hmm…"

Rogue then tapped Alex's shoulder again.

" Yah should go to sleep, sir."

Alex nodded, then leaned back against the little mound. He then lowered the visor and closed his eyes. While the first squad that Alex commanded slept, Rogue's second squad look over. Over the course of three hours, they noticed no particular activity that seemed out of routine. Every movement was predictable, and in some kind of pattern. Rogue then heard someone over the radio.

" Sierra-45, this is Omega Command. Do you read, over?"

Rogue whispered to respond.

" Dis's Sierra-23, come'in, Omega Command, over."

There seemed to be a pause, then it continued.

" Phoenix request that you move to Point Bravo, and start the secondary, over."

Rogue looked at the map, then tucked it back in her blouse.

" Roger. Sierra will beh dere."

" Copy, Sierra-23. Will expect confirmation."

With that, the radio became silent again. Rogue then woke up Alex.

" Sir, Omega Command just came on. Dey want us to move to point Bravo and start Secondary objective."

Alex nodded, then slowly crawled down to the bottom of the ditch. He then took a quick glance at the map.

" Okay, we'll split up. We'll head north towards Guiana Highlands. First squad will take point. Move out."

The first squad, consisting of Scott, Jean, Piotr, Remy, Wanda, Lance, Ororo, and Alex followed the ditch to the tree lines, while the second squad consisting of Kurt, Logan, Kitty, Pietro, Fred, Pyro, Toad, and Rogue slowly followed. Once in the trees, Logan took point again as choreographed. Alex stayed in the middle group, keeping his eyes on things that happened around them, while Rogue stayed in the group on the back. Throughout the whole day they marched on, encountering some patrols from time to time. Fortunately, they managed to avoid detection completely, but Alex began to feel uneasy at the presence of the enemy. They still had long ways to go, but he decided that the others needed to rest. They took cover behind a small ditch under the fallen tree trunks, and broke out their rations. All of them opened the pouches of their rations and began to eat them cold. Alex remained on guard, keeping his eyes out, often gazing back to his map to get the bearing on his location. He then joined the others by breaking out his own ration. He grabbed a pouch from his rucksack, then licked his lips.

" Mm… Chicken…"

He opened the pouch, which revealed another pouch, and some other assortments. He opened the pouch to reveal something that looked like rice pilaf with chunks of chicken and vegetables. He quickly began to eat, practically dumping the whole content down to his stomach. By then, Rogue had finished her meal, and began to pack the trash for disposal. Everyone packed their trash back into the pouch that contained the meal, and shoved it back in the rucksack. While Alex, Rogue, and Logan stared at the map to go through their routes, the others began to chat a bit. Wanda sat next to Toad, and sighed.

" Hey."

" Hey."

They just stared at each other, unable to decide what to do. Frankly, they both were nervous. Toad finally broke their awkward silence.

" So, what is it, pumpkin pie?"

Wanda hesitated for a few seconds, then began.

" Well, I know you've been wanting for me to accept you and all… And I… Well, I guess I'm ready now…"

The others who were near by gazed at the two with surprise. Pietro, specifically, was surprised that his sister who displayed such a temper would ease like this. She had not given the Amphibian-like kid any room at all, skillfully dodging every advances he made. But now, with all the other girls finding someone, he guessed that his sister was ready to open up.

Within the confines of the cave networks, the newly appointed American front commander of the aliens sat quietly in her chair, watching the map displaying everything that was going on in their occupied territory. She looked at the red dot that created a trail towards the Guiana Highlands, and smiled. By looking at the trail of the path of these invaders, she knew what kind of mission they were conducting. Some of the aliens around her leaned closer, then whispered into her ears.

" Should we go a head and catch them?"

She shook her head.

" No. They're just conducting reconnaissance for now, but I know what they're trying to do. They're looking for any resistance group that might exist behind the front line."

The others smirked. Their scanning ability had eliminated such threat long before, and every single one of them were turned into the host for their young. Finding any kind of resistance around here was, in a word, ridiculous.

" So, when do we hit them?"

The woman stared at the map and sighed.

" When they reach the Guiana Highlands, let them know our presence."

The one who asked the question smirked. The woman, however, interrupted.

" It will just be a quick skirmish. I don't want them killed. If you can capture them, then do it."

The staff members nodded, then left. They began to give orders to their subordinates. Soon, all the units stationed in Guiana Highlands received instruction to prepare for the infiltrators' arrival. As they finished up giving instructions, one of the staff turned back to the commander.

" Should we test our new weapon against them?"

The woman thought for a while, then nodded.

" Go ahead. However, I don't want them killed."

The staff nodded.

The mutants spent the last one week advancing to the Guiana Highlands. They had occasional communication to let the others know they were okay. They also began to feel more restless. For a week, they had walked through the jungle with their senses honed to detect any threat. Even though they expected it, the stress was becoming unbearable. Jean and Kitty felt uncomfortable not taking a shower for a week straight, and their clothes now began absorb the odor emitted from their body. Many were uncomfortable about the odor, but Alex, Logan, and Rogue didn't seem to be bothered at all. They all figured that Alex and Logan were the case of experience in their career as soldiers in their respective times, but Rogue was what really shocked them. She virtually had the same experience as them, but she seemed to bear the stink better than them. Alex raised his fist, signaling them to hold position. He looked around the trees, and then pulled out his binocular. While he was scanning the area ahead, the others looked around the perimeter more intensely. Alex put the binocular back in the pouch, then twirled his finger to signal them to gather around. Everyone collapsed in towards Alex, and he pulled out his map.

" We're about to enter the Guiana Highlands. We're scheduled to get our first re-supply there. I want all of you to keep your eyes peeled for any threat. We've been lucky so far, but we all know it's not something we want to rely on."

Everyone nodded, then spread out again. They all raised their weapons now, getting ready to shoot anything that would threaten them. Soon after they continued their advance, the droplets of rain began to fall. Many of them welcomed the liquid droplets falling from the sky. Jean and Kitty certainly enjoyed the prospect of taking the stink off of the uniform. Within a few minutes, they began to feel the ground getting steeper, and saw the water flowing down the hill. Alex gazed at the map for a moment, then turned towards East. He also called Logan back to the group. He wanted them to setup a temporary supply post. While he was thinking about how he should accomplish his task, a familiar voice came on the radio.

" Sierra-45, this is Juliet-45. We're inbound with present. ETA thirty minutes."

Alex smirked as he recognized the voice of Lieutenant Robert Morris. He looked around the terrain again then whispered.

" Roger. Sierra-45 copies. Will send coordinates."

Alex then pulled out a small computer, about half the size of palm pilot from the pouch on the vest and punched the coordinates on the touch sensitive screen. After he sent the coordinates, he looked around at each members to see all ready signal. He waited behind his position behind a large tree and looked around with Rogue not far from him. Soon, they heard the low hum of the aircraft approaching. Rogue then threw an infrared strobe to mark the drop zone. The aircraft began to descend into the clearing in the middle of the forest. Alex then signaled Remy to move further out of the perimeter to see if anyone else was out there. Afterwards, he approached the aircraft that landed on the hill. When he came into the open, Jean sensed something wrong, and then hollered out.

" Contact!"

Before her scream was registered into Alex's brain, a blue ray streaked from deep in the forest and impacted upon him, causing him to fall down unconscious. Lt. Morris quickly pointed towards the origin of the fire to his machine gunner, who began to pour bullets into the jungle. The crew chief also began to push the supply crate out of the plane when he fell back, with blood splattering the men of the 9th Platoon. The pilot quickly pushed the throttle to lift off when he felt the plane tumble rather hard as one of the engine exploded. The warning lights came on and the alarm rang through out the plane. Afraid that the plane might explode if he pushed it any further, the pilot landed the aircraft. He then got on the radio, and screamed as the guns opened fire all around him.

" Mayday! Mayday! Blue-79 is down! I repeat! Blue-79 is down!"

Both the pilot and the co-pilot got out of their seat, with their pistols in their hands. While they were firing, Robert saw a friendly rushing into the clearing near where Capt. Bradford went down. He soon recognized Rogue with all of her gear. She occasionally fired her machine gun behind her and then advanced to Alex's unconscious body. She quickly dropped her rucksack and then began to assess his condition. She was glad to feel the pulse, and hollered into the radio.

" Everyone hold dey're perimeter! Ah want nothin' comin' through!"

She then looked at Lt. Morris.

" Ah need yahr team to cover da perimeter, sir!"

Robert nodded, then led his men out to the woods. The gunfire roared all around them, and from northwest, he heard the whoosh of rocket leaving the tube. Also, he heard the machine gun going off to south. Rogue then handed her machine gun to the pilot.

" Cover meh!"

With that, Rogue grabbed Alex by his armpits and dragged him into the downed aircraft. The pilot laid down on the ground, and began to fire in bursts into the woods. Rogue went up the ramp and then radioed again.

" Fall back to the aircraft! I want a tighter perimeter!"

Soon, the others began to rush towards the aircraft. Rogue began to count those coming in. She began to check the name off in her mind.

' Scott, Jean, Piotr, Wanda, Lance, Kurt, Kitty, Ororo, Pietro, Fred, Pyro, Toad…'

She then saw Logan limping his way back towards the aircraft. She was about to rush towards him when she saw a 9th Platoon member helping him after rushing towards him. One by one, they set up a perimeter around the aircraft. The blue ray struck the aircraft, and making sparks fly. Soon, the aliens emerged from the trees, with their bio-armor colored differently to blend in with the environment better. Everyone's eyes widened with surprise at seeing the number they were facing. Rogue felt as though her blood became cold at seeing the numerous aliens advancing steadily.

* * *

Is this the end for the mutants? Will they make it out? Or will the aliens have their way with them? 

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	19. Chapter 19

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

* * *

Roar of explosion, sparks, screams, grunts echoed in the middle of the hill on the Guiana Highlands as the humans and mutants fought desperately for their survival. Surrounded by hoard of enemy, they struggled to keep the advancing aliens at bay. In the body of the aircraft, Rogue began head count once again. She then realized that Remy was missing.

" Where's Remy?"  
Pyro shook his head.

" I don't know!"  
Rogue felt a tug on her sleeves and saw Alex looking back at her.

" Use the HE's. We need more firepower."

Rogue shook her head.

" Remy's still out there! He might get hit!"

Just then, she heard a loud noise of metal being punctured echo through the hull. She looked back, and saw a small hole that passed by her side.

" Who's shootin' towards here?"

The pilot looked back, pointing towards the crew chief.

" They got some kind of projectile weapon out there! The crew chief got hit just as he was about to push the supplies over board."

Rogue got up, and crawled to the ramp, then poked her head out to see what was happening. They were completely surrounded, with hopes of getting any immediate, and urgent support from anywhere. The fastest air strike was fifteen minutes away. They were on their own.

" Shit!"

Rogue looked back towards Alex.

" Ah'll beh outside!"

She grabbed her weapon and rushed to the nearest cover while keeping her head low. She dove to the ground behind a fallen tree trunk, and opened fire. Alex got himself up, and got on the radio to coordinate things around.

" Juliet-45. This is Sierra-45. I need your men to cover the north side of the aircraft. My men will cover the south side. Do you copy, over?"

After a brief moment of static, Robert came on the radio.

" Roger, Juliet…"

Suddenly the radio went silent, causing Alex to worry about what had happened. Outside, there were some yelling towards the others that they were reloading, while there were some cries of obscenity. He began to radio the men of the 9th Platoon.

" Juliet team, this is Sierra-45. What's the situation of Juliet-45, over?"

There were silence that loomed over the radio for a minute, until the XO of the 9th came on.

" Man down! Juliet-45 is down! I say again! Juliet-45 is down!"

Alex slammed his fist on the wall, then slowly calmed himself down. He was in charge of everyone down here, and he was useless if he couldn't make the right decisions. He spoke as calmly as he could, though it was still mixed with a lot of emotions. The sergeant who was now in charge of the 9th Platoon listened carefully as Alex gave him the same instruction he gave to Lt. Morris.

" Yes, sir!"

Alex poked his head up and saw the men of the 9th moving towards their position towards the north. In conjunction, the mutants peeled left to cover the gap made by those who left to cover the northern section. Alex then gazed around the battlefield, and watched in horror as he began to lose ground little by little. The others were now throwing grenades, trying to keep the aliens from getting closer. Suddenly Alex began to wonder why the enemies were not using any of their heavy equipments. He knew that the aliens had armor support, as well as artillery captured from the Earth Alliance Army.

' Are they trying to capture us alive?'

In the midst of the gunfire, he crawled out of the hull, and continued on to Rogue's position. Not far to the left was Scott and Jean, each covering one side. He looked to his right and saw Piotr pouring ammo. Even though he was shooting in an almost continuous burst, the sheer number of the charging enemy made each round count. Suddenly, Rogue hollered out as she took cover.

" Loadin'!"

Alex quickly took over Rogue, defending his position from the advance. As he began to shoot the aliens one by one, he began to feel that it was all over. The rate that they were charging and the consumption of the ammo by his men mean that their chance of running out of ammo before repelling their attack was guaranteed. His whole life began to flash in front of his eyes. He soon heard the click of the empty chamber and ducked behind the tree trunk. As he began to load his rifle, he saw Rogue about to take his place again.

" Conserve your ammo."

Rogue winked, then got up. She began provide one bullet for each of the enemy in her sights. When the she heard the click of the empty chamber, she immediately switched to her MPPL, and began to shoot HE rounds. The explosion ripped through the bio-armors and blew the aliens to pieces, and the perimeter seemed to hold. Just as her MPPL also clicked, she saw the next wave coming in. Instead of going back for cover and reloading, she drew her pistol and shot them one by one. Little did she know that she was out of her cover for too long, and gave a lone alien in the woods a clear shot.

In the woods, one of the aliens gazed hard at the humans firing back towards his comrades. His eyesight improved to human equivalent to 4x zoom. He saw a human fighting rather bravely, but it also meant that more of his comrades would die. He raised his newly issued weapon to align it. He squinted his eyes and fired, which launched a small, pea sized projectile to the target at incredible speed. The projectile ripped through the human's right waist, and the red blood splattered the aircraft's skin. At the same time, the human fell backwards, and didn't get up again. Satisfied, the alien got up, and moved to another position.

Alex heard the familiar sound of the projectile hitting human flesh, splattering of liquid against a solid object, and the thud of the body falling down on the ground. He turned his gaze to Rogue, and saw her grabbing her left side, from where the blood flowed profusely. Her green eyes were wide open from the shock and she groaned loudly in pain.

" Rogue!"

Alex dragged Rogue closer to the cover.

" Lieutenant!"

Rogue didn't answer Alex's call, instead, she let out a cry of pain.

" Aargh!"

Alex began to talk, even though Rogue wasn't listening at all.

" I'm going to turn you around. I need to look at the exit wound."

Alex lifted up Rogue's top up to the rib cage, then turned her around, and saw that almost a fist size of the left side was gone, and he quickly noticed that one of her kidney was gone along with it.

" Damn it!"

He unpacked his medical gear, and began to apply the gel-like substance that he used once on Lance. It quickly molded to the wound. Alex then quickly wrapped the dressing around. The blood oozed out as he tightened the dressing, drenching his hands. He looked around to see what had happened while he was patching up Rogue, then saw the enemy advancing masses, slowly gaining ground as his men went down one by one. They seemed to be unconscious, rather than dead. There were no blood splatter to suggest so. He grabbed his own rifle as he kneeled next to Rogue, then began to fire furiously. He knew that all the brass and the governmental members would have wanted him to pull out, but there was no way that he would lose another of his team again. One by one, though, his team members were knocked unconscious by the stunning effect of the blue ray, and every alien turned their attention towards Alex. He raised his weapon to fire when he felt a pulling of his sleeve. He turned around to see Rogue pulling him down.

" Get away… Leave meh here."

Alex shook his head.

" No. I will not abandon any of you. Never again."

Rogue chuckled, coughing up some blood while doing so. She looked around Alex's body, and shuddered in terror.

" Get outta here!"

Alex simply shook his head, and turned around with his rifle. When he did so, he was shot by the blue ray yet again and fell on top of Rogue. She groaned in pain as the aliens surrounded them.

" Take them away."

Remy sat on the top of the tree, watching the aliens move underneath him since the firefight started. He took a position on the top of the tree, but when the firefight began, he was stuck on the top, unable to do anything. He saw Rogue getting shot, as well as the others being taken down by the overwhelming number of they faced. All he could to was watch as the aliens dragged the body with them to somewhere. Remy thought for a while, trying to figure out what to do.

' What do Remy do now? Remy can't go back alone like this…"

Remy waited for a while for the aliens to disappear, then came down the tree slowly. He took careful steps to the wreckage to see what he could find inside. All he could see, however, was the corpses of the co-pilot, and the crew chief. They were killed just like Corporal Johnson, seemingly fried by the overcharged burst of the blue ray. He dropped his rucksack, and went around the battlefield to collect other things he could scavenge. He then accounted for his ammo, which was virtually full. He grabbed a few necessary items out of the rucksack and stuffed in in the pouches on his vest. His instincts as a thief came out as he dropped unnecessary equipments and left them in the aircraft. He also tightened his rifle straps to prevent it from making any noise, as well as his helmet straps. He came out of the downed aircraft carefully, looking around to make sure there were no one watching him. He easily found a blood trail left by Rogue's wound, and followed it. Even though he wasn't a hunter, the blood trail was unmistakable. He saw the sun setting to the west, behind the mountains. He switched to the night vision and walked carefully for hours, until he saw the blood trail end in front of what seemed like a cliff.

' What in the world?'

He looked around the whole area, looking for any entrance. Despite his earnest effort to find the entrance, he didn't find anything. He slammed his fist against the ground, frustrated at his situation. He felt partly guilty. He saw how his fellow mutants, his comrades, his friends were overwhelmed by the enemy and he felt guilty that he didn't even lift his rifle to help them. He then thought about how Liz would think of him, when she found out that he didn't do anything to help her brother. He had to make it up, for his friends, and for himself.

' Remy promise, chere… Remy promise that Remy will bring back chere's brother.'

He took a secluded spot to observe any event that might lead to the location of the entrance.

Alex woke up to see the others getting up from around them. He groaned as he sat up in the cell. The aftereffects of the stun ray had left him woozy, and his muscles were so lax that he felt like he was floating in the air. His mind became clear all of the sudden, then looked around to find Rogue.

" Where's Rogue?"

The others shrugged in response. Alex then looked through his pockets to find them completely empty.

" Well, they took everything away…"

Logan checked his equipment to find them gone as well. Everyone sat quietly in the cell when the door opened up. Alex stood up and faced the door, and found the guard pushing a body inside. It landed flat on its body, and a groan echoed.

" Rogue?"

The person lifted her head, and sighed.

" Yes, sir…"

Alex sighed in relief, then sat down.

" Where were you Rogue?"

" Yeah. I thought you were dead or something."

Rogue crawled closer towards the center, and plopped down on the ground. The others saw the wounds on her body, and face as the light shone upon her.

" Shit! What happened!"

Alex looked at the wound that he patched up, which opened up again. He quickly got to Rogue, and tightened the bandage.

" Logan, can you help her?"

Logan shrugged.

" I don't know what's her condition, sir."

Alex waited for a moment, deciding whether to tell the truth or not.

" Can your healing factor regenerate an organ?"

Logan's eyes widened.

" Why, sir?"

Alex sighed aloud, knowing that the others will hear what he will say.

" Her left kidney's gone… She got shot from their new weapon…"

The others stared in panic. Kitty looked at Rogue with concern.

" She going to, like, make it?"

Alex sighed.

" I don't know… What I did is only good for first aid. It won't be much of use after about three days…"

Just as Alex finished up his sentence, the door opened once again, and the alien who seemed to be an officer of some sort pointed towards Alex.

" You. Come out."

Alex hesitated for a moment, then got up. He followed the alien out of the cell, and walked down the dizzily winding path to a big room. He saw an alien wearing armor much different from the others, which had the dark grayish tone instead of brown. When he was about five feet in front of the strange alien, he felt a blow to the back of his knees, which forced him to kneel down. The alien in dark gray armor spoke as soon as Alex kneeled.

" What is your name?"

Alex kept his mouth shut, refusing to answer even a simple question. The alien seemed to chuckle, then spoke again.

" It's okay, if you don't want to tell me…Alexander Bradford…"

Alex's eyes widened for a moment, surprised at how they knew his name. The other aliens chuckled at seeing this human becoming puzzled.

" Who are you?"

The alien looked at the ground for a moment, then began.

" I am the commander of the American theatre of operation. That's all you need to know…"

The alien looked at the rank pin on Alex's collars, and continued.

" …captain."

Alex waited for the alien to continue.

" Well, here comes the first question… What is your mission?"  
Alex remained silent, which earned him a good smack in the face. He looked up again, defiance embedded in his hazel eyes. The alien commander laughed, then continued.

" It doesn't matter anyways. We know what it is. You are here for reconnaissance mission, while trying to find any resistance group. Am I right, captain?"

Alex kept a straight face, but it was difficult to contain his emotions. This commander knew how EAA operated. Sure, it wasn't that hard when you studied the battles that went on, but something told him that this commander knew a lot better than learning it by observation. The commander pulled out a pouch, then juggled in in the air.

" I know a lot about you and your unit, captain. Your men are mutants who possess abilities that far surpass the capabilities of others, and you are the son of the president… I don't know what your leaders were thinking, but all they did was hand a great treasure to us by sending you here…"

Alex remained silent, which didn't seem to matter to the others. The commander waved his or her hand, and ordered the others to take Alex back to his cell.

In the aircraft carrier the colonel in charge of the operation became concerned. The 9th platoon was supposed to have came back, or at least make radio contact. The delay began to imprint in his mind that the 3rd platoon, as well as the 9th was either killed or captured. He had been waiting in the Combat Information Center for hours waiting for any sign of the missing men. As much as he wanted to contact the men to verify their status, the possibility that they might be evading the enemy at the moment prevented him from making any contact.

" Sir, it's been ten hours since the Juliet team launched…"

The colonel just sat in his seat with his eyes closed. As he did so, the executive officer continued.

" Sir? Should we pronounce them as Missing In Action?"

The colonel opened his eyes, looking at the others who stopped working at the words. Only the beeping from the sensors and other instruments prevented the CIC from becoming silent like tomb.

" Major Harita, do you doubt their abilities?"

Maj. Kenji Harita, the executive officer of the assault carrier "Seraphim" paused for a moment, caught off guard by his superior officer.

" No, sir."

The colonel nodded slowly, then finally stood up.

" Report to the headquarters about the current situation, but do not file the men as MIA. We can wait for a while."

The colonel got up, and dismissed himself from the CIC. He instructed the men to scan every frequency for any kind of communication. He entered his quarters, and sat behind the desk.

" Damn this war…"

It has been about five years since he took command of the Seraphim, but the last one year was something that he wished he could forget. So many young men under his command died, most of them pilots defending the seas against the aliens. He then looked down towards the picture on his desk, which showed a young man in the dark gray uniform of the Army standing next to him.

' Mark…'

The colonel sighed, then thought of what the men on the ground would go through. He then got on the phone, then pressed the button for a direct line.

" Get me the president."

He soon heard the voice of the president, who was obviously in a bad mood.

" What is it, Colonel L'Moiré?"

Col. L'Moiré sighed, unable to speak what he had to say.

" Mr. President… I have something to report to you… Captain Bradford and his men have not reported back since ten hours ago. I have not made decision to pronounce them as MIA, but I believe it is necessary for you to know this…"

The president became shocked at hearing the news. His son was missing, which unsettled him.

" Alex…"

The colonel waited for the response for a while, then decided to finish the conversation.

" Mr. President. I will report any further detail as it becomes available."

The president sighed, then acknowledged.

" Okay colonel. You do that."

On top of the tree overlooking the spot where the trail ended, Remy had been watching for any movements for nearly five hours. He opened the canteen discreetly, trying to minimize the noise as possible. He took a few gulps, then closed the canteen.

' How long are they going to be in there?'

He began to doubt the trail of blood as something that he wrongly followed. He wondered whether it was blood trail of a wild animal when a team of patrol approached the same spot. Remy saw them approaching the cliff wall straight on, without showing any sign of stopping. He leaned closer to look, and his eyes became wide as the two walked straight through the cliff wall.

' Hologram?'

He climbed down the tree, and approached slowly to the cliff. He then got a small periscope out and gazed into the very spot that the patrol went inside. He saw a cave leading deep into the mountain, and one guard in sight. He immediately removed the periscope, then began to think of a plan. He thought of possibly disguised infiltration, using the bio-armor from dead enemy, but he shook the thought away. He didn't know what would happen, whether wearing it might endanger him in any way. What he needed was another option: another way to get inside. He moved around the cliff, trying to see if there was any ventilation. He was sure that there would be a ventilation shaft throughout the cave to refresh the air.

Back in the cell, Rogue saw Alex being shoved into the cell by the guard, and stumbling for a while before he stopped.

" Sir."

Alex smirked.

" Lieutenant… How are you feeling?"

Rogue sighed, then smirked. Alex smirked back, then nodded. With her kind of injury, there was no other kind of answer than 'like hell.' He sat next to Rogue, then assessed the injuries again.

" So, what happened to you?"

Rogue sighed, then drew a shallow breath.

" Well, after yah went down, yah fell on mah legs… Ah drew yahr pistol and shot some of'em 'til Ah ran outta ammo. Dey removed yahr body off of meh, den beat da crap outta meh…"

Alex sighed.

" So, how did your 'interrogation' go? Was it simple as I experienced?"

Rogue cocked her head with curiosity, then shook her head.

" No, sir. Well…yes, sir… In a way dat is… Da commander asked meh about da scope on mah rifle constantly, which reminds meh… It's yahr favorite one, isn't it sir?"

Alex nodded.

" Not many people know about it too… That makes this commander either a psychic or someone I know well."

Jean interrupted.

" They wouldn't be a psychic. They wouldn't even need this interrogation at all…"

Alex's eyes became grim, then wandered about. He began to think those who knew about the scope who were gone from his life.

' Could it be one of the guys from my old units? If then, which one?'

Alex paused his thoughts as the guard returned. He, which he presumed from the pitch of the voice, pointed to Alex again.

" All of you! Come out! The commander wants to see you."

They all got up, some with ease, while some with difficulty. Alex walked next to Rogue, giving her something to lean against. The guard looked at Alex with contempt, but didn't lash out. He had strict orders to keep them as healthy as possible. As they came out of the cell, each of them were cuffed in their wrists and ankles. With the chain jingling as they took each step, everyone followed the guard. They walked past the room that Rogue and Alex were interrogated before, then gathered around a large chamber filled with many instruments and a pit where a high-pitched shrieks of some beastly beings. The guard and the others standing in the room lined up the mutants next to each other, then forcefully kneeled them down. From the door quite a bit away in front of them, the commander emerged. He or she walked down the steps and stood just five meters away from the captives.

" Bring the commanding officer closer, then leave us."

The guards grabbed Alex by the arms, then threw him closer towards their commander, then left the room. The alien commander then waved the tentacle ridden left arm to summon another guard. Alex and the others quickly realized that this character wasn't a guard, but of lower rank than the commander, yet still with authority. As he stood near by the pit, the commander took a knee in front of Alex, who had managed to get up with effort.

" Captain… I don't think you're dumb so I figure that you realize at least who I could be… Or rather, who my host is…"

Alex narrowed his eyes, still trying to figure out who it is.

' Captain Rockwell? Sergeant Olivers?'

As he continued to take guesses, the head part of the commander's bio-armor began to peel away, revealing wildly grown blond hair that seemed to start taking greenish color and the skin that have become so pale that it looked like gray than the usual flesh tone. When the eyes were revealed, Alex's heart began to freeze. Soon, the head part peeled down to the shoulders, and Alex began to stutter as he tried to speak the name.

" J…Jenny?"

The alien, or rather possessed Jenny smirked.

" That's right. I'm still alive."

Rogue's eyes widened as well. Her mind compared the picture that she saw with Jenny that stood in front of her. Many of her features were still remnant, but there were many significant changes. Jenny looked at Rogue, then smirked.

" I see you've taken another woman… An officer this time…"

She looked at Alex who kneeled in front of her speechless.

" What's the matter? Shocked that I'm here in front of you? You want me to show you that I'm real?"

Alex quickly shook his head to snap back to attention. His hazel eyes that was bewildered quickly regained the coldness that it had.

" I should have realized… Only someone like you would have known… Both the location of our re-supply and about the scope."

Jenny chuckled, letting out a sound that seemed like something that was mixture of human and some kind of animal. She then turned her attention towards the other mutants.

" Well, what should I do with you… I can either make you one of us, or I can just kill you…"

Alex's eyes gazed at the others for a moment, especially Rogue. Jenny noticed it and nodded slowly.

" Take the grunts back to the cells. I still have things to do with these officers…"

The lower ranking alien nodded, then called upon the guards to take the mutants back to the cell. Rogue, and Alex sat curiously, unsure of what they will now experience.

" Tell me what the Earth Alliance is planning."

Alex kept his mouth shut, as well as Rogue. Jenny then shook her head, while smiling.

" Your resistance is futile. I am giving you the choice of cooperating with me… The other choice is, well…rather unpleasant…"

Rogue stared fiercely at Jenny. Her preconception of a woman who was kind enough to be what Alex's memories told her was gone now. This was a completely different person in front of her. Jenny looked at Alex.

" Once again… What is the Earth Alliance's strategy?"

Jenny became impatient at lack of any kind of response from the two. She eyed the other alien, who grabbed Rogue and raised her arms high above her head. He then tied the handcuff on a wire descending down form the ceiling.

" Tell me, Alex… Or your new girlfriend's going to suffer."

Alex hesitated, gazing at Rogue's green eyes that stared right back at him. There was horror, but also some kind of determination.

" Well, what will it be, Alex?"

Alex looked at Rogue's wound. He didn't know how much time had passed since he applied the first aid to her wounds, and frankly, he became concerned. The gel wasn't designed to withstand any kind of torture, and going through it would mean the shortening of the time of its effectiveness or even worse, complete failure and breaking apart, exposing the wound once again. Jenny noticed Alex staring at Rogue's left side, and walked closer to it. She then squeezed the wound, which caused Rogue to scream out in pain. Jenny turned back towards Alex with evil grin.

" She's wounded…and you're worried about the first aid… Oh! This couldn't have come any better! Tell you what I'm going to do, Alex… You answer, or she'll suffer, then die slowly as the blood come out of her slowly… She's pale already, so I'd say she won't have much after the treatment fails. Am I right?"

Alex gritted his teeth when Jenny nodded to her lieutenant.

" Do it."

The other alien brought back his left arm, where the tentacles wiggled about in the air. When some of them touched each other, the sparks of electricity flew. He looked at Alex, then with a grin struck Rogue's back. All that Alex's mind was registering was the agony of being struck and electrocuted at the same time that Rogue was going through. He gazed fiercely at Jenny.

" Stop it!"

Jenny cocked her head.

" So, will you tell me what I want to know?"

Alex answered without hesitation.

" Never!"

The torture continued, until Rogue slumped down, erected only by the handcuffed hands dangling above her head. Jenny grunted in frustration, then ordered the lieutenant to bring another mutant. Soon, Toad was thrown into the room. He then saw Rogue unconscious, and chained up and became terrified at his own fate.

" You've always considered your men like your own family. Will you let this one, your family suffer something horrible?"

Alex stared at Jenny with confusion. While his hazel eyes followed her, Jenny went to the pit, then grabbed one of the snaking beast and brought it closer to Toad.

" Tell me, or he'll become one of us."

Alex felt himself sinking deeper into a quicksand of predicaments. On one hand, he had his duties, and on the other was the lives of his men. Jenny smirked, then brought the beast closer to Alex. Upon closer inspection, Alex saw that the beast was more like a centipede or millipede, with its numerous legs that seemed more like strands of hair. He began to wonder what kind of creature it was, or what it was like before. It seemed quite familiar to him, but also alien. Toad, on the other hand, was terrified by the creature, and started to shudder in fear.

" Hey, man… Get that thing away from me…"

Jenny came closer towards Toad, then released the creature. It fell on the ground, and wiggled for a moment, then slowly approached Toad. Jenny's lieutenant grabbed Toad, then ripped the back of the uniform, then pushed him to the ground with his face down on the dirt. As if it was satisfied, the creature jumped over Toad, then dug its head into the skin near the tail bone. Toad began to scream in agony as the creature advanced little by little. It also seemed as though he was losing control over the parts of the body that had been covered by the creature. At the base of the neck bones, the creature came out of the skin, then dug into the base of the skull, with Toad letting out a scream that ached Alex's ears. In the midst of the screams, Rogue woke up to witness Toad slowly getting up. Alex felt tears coming out of his eyes but didn't do anything. He couldn't do anything and he hated himself for not being able to do anything to help Toad. Jenny's eyes then turned to Rogue.

" Should I do the same to your sweetheart now? Will that make you talk?"

* * *

Can Remy save them before everyone is taken over by these creatures? What are these creatures?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	20. Chapter 20

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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While Alex and the others were being interrogated, Remy had searched throughout the areas surrounding the entrance for any alternative entry point. He had hiked to the very top of the cliff, and searched every inch. After a painstaking attempts, he found a hole near a tree that seemed strangely out of place. Remy climbed down the hole carefully to find himself going down an emergency exit.

' Hmm…'

He climbed down the hole for a while, then saw the door standing between him and the aliens on the other side. He got his weapon ready in case he had to use it, but paid much close attention on their behavior, and any type of noise made that would cue him in on their positions. He soon figured out that there were only a few guards patrolling at any given time, which made his job easier for the early phase. However, he began to ponder where the rest of them would be.

' Where could they be?'

Without actually seeing where they were, he had no way of knowing the situation. When he was a thief, he had all the time he needed to study the layout and everything else, but now, he had nothing that would give him an edge. He opened the door slightly, then peeked through a small crack. The cave was lit with lights that glowed in orange tone that was placed like common torch. The guards that walked around the caves seemed relaxed, not worrying about any possibility that there may be an intruder in their midst. Remy looked at his watch, then saw that about two days had passed from the ambush that led to the capture of his friends. However, he felt like months had passed. He was genuinely concerned about his friends. For all his life, he operated alone as a thief, but now he had a sort of a family that he liked. He felt compelled to protect them, even if it cost his own life. He then mentally took a step back to find amusement in how he had changed. Just going through the last few months in a war had drawn him closer to everyone else. He was sure that the others felt something to the similar effect. He waited patiently as he was taught since childhood. His careful, and thorough observations began to pay off as he began to see patterns in the guards' behaviors. He saw the guards moving on, as if they were changing shifts. He snuck out of the room, and advanced to a room not far away. He then gazed around the ceiling to find ventilation shaft network.

' Okay… Remy can do this…'

While Remy worked his way through the maze called ventilation system, Alex stared fearfully into Jenny's eyes. The mere thought of making Rogue go through it after making her suffer through other ways distressed him.

' Come on, Alex… Tell me…"

Alex looked towards Rogue, who looked at him with her green, weary eyes that seemed to tell him that she wasn't up to any more. Of course, Rogue herself was meaning to tell Alex to not to concern about him, but the so called interrogation have robbed her of strength. He sincerely hoped that Rogue could hold on, since he wasn't about to give up any of the plans. On top of his lack of desire to do so, in truth, he didn't know much about it. His father made all the decision on his own, and the time in the battlefield lacked any means for him to actively participate in the political arena. He also was sure that they were dead either way.

" Come on…"

" I won't tell you anything."

Jenny closed her eyes for a moment, then sighed.

" If that's what you wish… Release the woman. We'll have some fun in honor of our guest."

Rogue dropped to the ground with a thud as the other alien released her. She groaned, then stayed where she was once she realized that the ground that she was laying on was beginning to get wet. She placed her hand on her left side and felt the blood trickling down her skin rather rapidly. Alex crawled next to Rogue, only to smear the blood on his face as he was forcibly stepped on his back. He then heard the grumbles of the others as they were thrown into the room. Jenny looked at them for a moment, then motioned the guards to take them to some place else. One by one, the guards grabbed each mutants excluding Toad and dragged them past a large door. They all struggled in futility since their limbs were not at liberty to make necessary movements. Soon, the gigantic door opened with rumblings that vibrated through their body, and they were blinded by the bright light that entered the grand arena. Everyone squinted for a while, until their eyes adjusted to the light.

" Oh, my god."

The arena was packed with the aliens, giving them a feeling of gladiatorial games in times of ancient Rome. One by one, their restrains were loosened, leaving them in the middle of the arena built with stones and sand. Logan looked around, then spoke first.

" What do you think they're planning?"

Ororo shook her head. She didn't know what they should expect. The main concern was Rogue. Alex turned to Logan, who kneeled next to Rogue.

" I don't care if it's not going to create the missing kidney. I want you to help her."

Logan looked at Alex, then saw genuine concern. Alex became distressed, almost losing his calm.

" Sorry, sir. It's not going to help her much. As much as I would like to lend my abilities, she's better off with surgery than this."

Jenny and her minions walked up the stairs to a section of the arena that was housed by the visiting queen. She kneeled before the queen, who had taken up a seat overlooking the whole arena.

" So, you were successful at capturing them… I must congratulate you… You've performed as I thought you would."

" You're too kind, your highness…"

The queen looked at the mutants, then saw Alex.

" Is that the son of the humans' leader?"

Jenny nodded.

" Yes, my queen."

The queen smirked, noting how he was conducting himself. He was very different from his father, who she had observed from all those broadcasts claiming how barbaric her kind was and so on. But his son was more honorable for the lack of better word. The way he conducted himself to his men, and other things gave stark contrast to his father.

" So, your host was his fiancé?"

" Yes."

" Too bad he doesn't seem to care for that one anymore…"

Jenny looked closer to see Alex tending to Rogue. For some reason, her blood boiled with anger.

" Well, let's just see how capable of host these mutants can make…"

With that, the queen signaled the man next to her. The man spoke to the audience of the events that was about to unfold.

" We have the humans' last hope, the mutants who they have woken up in hopes to defeat us. Now, we will test their abilities, and choose either to kill them or make them join us in our quest to conquer this planet for our right to live!"

The aliens cheered aloud as the mutants began to wonder what exactly their enemies had in mind. Alex braced himself at what would happen. It was very hard to get a perspective of things as it was now. He looked at the others, and smirked.

" Well, let's show these fools what we're capable of…"

Alex then chuckled.

" …I mean, what you guys are capable of. I'll do as much as I can to help you, and hopefully not get in your way."

The mutants smirked, then nodded. Everyone took off their bracelets and handed it off to Rogue, who handed in to Alex. As they finished handing off their bracelets, the gate on the other side began to open slowly, letting out a low rumble that masked the sound emitted by the life form behind it. They were surprised to see what seemed like wild animals, like bulls, tigers, and other fierce beasts. Just as the gate finally came to open position, the beasts charged straight towards the mutants. The bull charged straight towards Fred, who grabbed hold of its horns and tried to stop its advance. The bull seem to be mad, with its saliva dripping after foaming on the corner of its mouth. Fred was having a tough time holding the bull as his reduced mass caused his feet to slide over the sand. Fred began to panic, and tried to force the bull to veer to either side. It seemed to work for a while until the bull corrected for the added pressure. Out of nowhere, Piotr charged in with his skin turned to metal and slammed the bull from the side. The two immediately heard the cracking of few or more of bull's ribs, and the bull crashed to the ground. Piotr smiled at Fred, and he did the same.

" Thanks."

As Fred and Piotr began to overpower the other beasts, a second wave of the test began. About ten infantrymen of the aliens swarmed in with their tentacles creating sparks of electricity as they came. Jean and Wanda quickly sought to protect the others by creating a zone where nothing could penetrate, and Scott fired the ray from his eyes through the helmet that was somehow left alone. It didn't occur to him at all as to why these aliens would leave the helmet just for him. All he cared about was that he needed to shoot these aliens with his ray to keep them at bay. Logan released his claws for combat for the first time since he was thawed out, and slashed at the tiger that leaped to tear the flesh. He first extended his left arm, stabbing the his new claws into the tiger's throat, all the while his right claws gutted the once dangerous beast. Kitty and Kurt moved about, distracting the aliens with their abilities so that Scott can have a clear shot at them. Pyro sat back, unable to do anything due to the lack of flame around the area. Alex began to look around the arena, which housed majority of those inside the base and the layouts. He told Lance to hold, since he didn't want his abilities to cave in the whole complex and create their own demise. He began to wish that he had at least a knife to enable him to fight like Logan. Not that he had the ability or stamina like him, but he felt so helpless watching his men fight while he sat back under their protection.

" Got anything?"

Rogue shook her head. She couldn't do anything to help either, since she couldn't recall all the abilities that she had absorbed before to use, and she couldn't borrow from her friends at the moment fearing that her friend in question will be knocked unconscious. Alex sighed, then got up.

" Okay, I'll be back."

He dashed to the nearest alien, then grabbed the forearm that had the tentacles. He immediately kicked the back of the alien's knee to bring him down, then kicked him under his chin. He then wrapped his arm around the alien's neck then cracked the bone. The others watched in awe, including the aliens looking down from above. The human, who had the least chance of surviving, was faring quite well, taking down one of their own barehanded. Things were definitely heating up as everyone now partook in hand to hand combat, with grunts, screams, and shouts echoed throughout the arena. The queen looked interestingly towards Rogue, whom Alex's currently having relations with as Jenny had informed her.

" Where did she get her injuries?"

Jenny hesitated, fearing any repercussions at the truth.

" One of ours shot her with the new weapon. She posed too much of threat at the time…"

The queen nodded, but expressed disappointment.

" If I may… Is there something that interests you?"

The queen nodded again, as if she wanted to save her voice for something.

" I might be interested in taking her as my next host…"

Just then, they saw the last of their infantrymen fall after getting slashed to pieces by Logan. The mutants seemed to have turned their attention to the others, as if trying to think of an escape plan.

------

Remy turned left at one of the many junctions of ventilation shafts, then looked down the fine netting that seemed out of place. He watched thoroughly, inspecting every square inch, and every item. He then found a body armor similar to his laid on the top of the bed that seemed too human. He turned on every type of visual sensing modes on his helmet goggle, to see if there was any type of motion sensing device designed to sense intruders.

' Oui… It's clear…'

He removed the netting, then poked his head inside and looked around. He then dropped out of the vent and hung on his left hand. His right hand quickly drew his pistol, and aimed at wherever he was looking at. He found the coast clear, and finally dropped to the ground.

' Let's see…'

His helmet began to give out GPS coordinate for his position down to one millimeter, which helped him more than he thought. He found out that he was very deep inside the camouflaged mouth of the cave, almost a kilometer inside. Remy walked around the room for closer look. There were a lot of seemingly personal belongings. He then stared at the name tag on the body armor.

' Carlson?'

Remy's eyes moved up to the collars where he saw the chevrons of Sergeant. After imprinting the name and rank in his mind, Remy raised his rifle and loosened the strap. He took careful steps towards the door, then opened it slightly. His looked around to see no one, not even the guards that were surely to patrol around the area were gone. He turned right, and followed the corridor while hugging the walls. After walking for a while, he saw a massive blue blip of the friendly on the map display on the top left corner of his visor. He moved closer to it, finally approaching a room blocked by a large door. He took out his knife, then poked it between the doors, and pried it open. He saw a large armory, with all the gears of his friends inside. He noticed that virtually all the ammo were expended, and only the rifles, pistols, knives, and the helmets remained. He looked around to see other things, which he found much to his delight. He saw a glove-like device that the aliens had over their right arms as their gun. He placed one over the pile of his friends' weapons and waited for a moment. He looked up at the ceiling, and found another ventilation shaft. He opened the netting, and piled the equipments inside. He then climbed up himself, pushing the equipment towards the room that he came in. His eyes flinched every time there was even a slightest noise. His advance was painstakingly slow, but backtracking his trial was easier than trying to find his way. He dropped out of the room, then took out the equipments. He opened the door again to find the guards still on their routine as if nothing happened. Remy grabbed as much of equipments as he can to the escape hatch, making about three roundabout trips to get them completely. After he made sure the escape hatch wasn't in use, he got back into the vents and continued his trip to find his friends.

Back in the Pentagon, the senior officers were in full debate over the plans to rescue Alex.

" The 9th Platoon was likely wiped out as well as the CA-102. If that's the case, they have a serious presence there."

" But it's Captain Bradford we're talking about! We have to get him out at all cost!"

Terrestrial Minister vehemently supported any measures to rescue Alex. With his political career at the stake, he had a personal interest vested in Alex's survival. He looked towards Defense Minister, who was one of his political allies. The Defense Minister leaned back, then laid out his proposal.

" We send in the Alpha Company, of 1st Assault Infantry Division. Along with the 2nd Platoon of the 7th Corp, 5th Special Forces Division, 8th Battalion, Delta Company to mount a full scale rescue, with the support from the Aries Carrier Battle Group. If we do it right, then we can rescue Captain Bradford out of the aliens' hands."

Justice Minister shook his head.

" I don't think it's prudent. The mutants under his command can give him the edge when he needs. I believe we should wait it out."

The Defense Minister looked at his colleague with some discomfort. It was true that the Assault Infantry unit in question was commanded by Lieutenant Joshua Austin, the Justice Minister's son. He felt that his colleague was trying to protect his son, in some scheme. The president, on one hand, watched the discussion quietly, not even letting out a peep while his ministers argued over the course of action to be taken. After a while, he finally spoke.

" Okay. Deploy those units."

The Ministers nodded, then the meeting adjourned. As Justice Minister Austin walked out of the room, the Terrestrial Minister caught up.

" George."

The Justice Minister turned around, then sighed.

" Aaron."

Aaron led his friend to a separate room, then spoke.

" I know you're worried about your son…"

George snapped back.

" I am not worried about my son! He can take care of himself, and I trust him to continue to do so! I am sure Captain Bradford and his men are thinking of an escape plan. If we send other units to get them, and they somehow escape beforehand, what will we do? The other units might become captured like the 3rd Platoon. Do you want that? Do you think the public will like it?"

Aaron conceded to his friend in outward appearance, but he began to collect his wits.

" Listen, George. If we send them there, they'll have easier time escaping. They will be ready to help."

George thought for a while, then nodded.

" Okay. Go ahead… Have it your way."

------

After their survival of the arena, they were quartered in a smaller clusters. They were broken up by gender, and rank. As a result, Alex and Rogue were alone in their cells while the others were bunched up. Logan looked around the others who were lost as to what had just happened. They didn't know whether the fight they had was for some kind of simple enjoyment or some kind of demonstration. He grumbled, frustrated that he wasn't able to do anything at the moment.

" So what was it, Mr. Logan? Some kind of entertainment or a demonstration?"

Logan turned to see Scott.

" I don't know… I have no idea as to what it could be…"

Pietro and Lance thought about what seemed to have happened with Toad. They were sure that Toad was now one of them.

" Can we help him?"

Fred looked at the others for answer to his question, but it went unanswered. They didn't' know what the answer was. As far as they knew the process was irreversible. The thought that these people who had advanced in technology to create successful fusion reactors were incapable of finding the cure for the process was unimaginable.

" So what will we do now?"

Logan shrugged. He knew he could probably break out of the cell, but the idea of abandoning the others completely wiped the thoughts away. They were his only family, and he couldn't abandon them.

While the guys were trying to figure out what happened, the four mutant girls tried to relieve their fatigue. It had been a while since they had used their abilities in such a duration. Wanda watched Jean dozing off, resting her body from the constant use of her powers during the fight. Kitty leaned against the wall, trying to keep herself awake. She began to think about other things to keep herself awake. She began to concern about her friends who were surely sitting in a room like herself worrying about the others like herself. Wanda buried her face into her arms, trying to hide her emotions. Kitty looked at Wanda, then tried to convey her sympathy.

" Are you okay?"

Wanda remained silent, bringing concern to the others as well. Their fatigued body weighed them down, letting them fall asleep in quite a while.

Alex sat alone in a small, solitary cell quietly. The events that have led up to this point seem quite astounding as he reflected upon them. With his eyes closed, as if he was meditating, he calmly analyzed these key moments of his life. In a way, he wanted to deal with the re-emerging feelings for Jenny, and his desire to save her so that he could regain something that he lost. The feeling of her smooth skin, and silky hairs rushed back to his thoughts. He then felt confused for a moment, unable to distinguish his memories with Jennny with Rogue. His thought switched over to Rogue, thinking what she would be doing right now, He hoped that she was cared for. He wished that he could be the one to tend to her wounds, and he cursed his predicaments for not being able to be there. He got up to the door, and spoke to the guard who didn't seem to be listening to his words.

" Look, that female officer is in bad shape. Give me my medical gears so that I can treat her wounds."

The guard stood firmly like a column. Alex sighed with frustration, then listened in for any signs of trouble. As he calmed down, and his aural senses began to take over, he heard, or at least he thought he heard, series of quiet noises from above. He looked at the guard to see if he had heard it as well, but as before, the guard stood firmly without any movement. Alex stepped backwards, while looking up at the ceiling. He noticed the noise getting louder for a moment, then fading away.

' What the heck?'

Rogue woke up from her sleep, looking around the small room that surrounded her. She looked down at her waist to find the bleeding stopped. As soon as she moved, however, the wound opened up again, with the blood oozing out of the wound. She felt light headed, and dizzy, as well as being very tired. The memories gained from Alex told her that she was probably bleeding to death. She laid still on her stomach, hoping the wound will close once again. She lifted her shirt up to see how the wound was. The gel that was applied seemed to have shrunk, with small gap visible between the wound itself and the gel. Rogue cursed under her shallow breath at her predicament. She then heard a noise above her, but dared not to look for the fear of losing more blood. Soon, the noise moved away, letting her relax about things. As the silence loomed over the room again, Rogue began to think of what might happen to her.

' Will Ah ever make it outta here? What'll happen to meh?'

As moments passed by, she became more pessimistic about any prospect of escaping alive.

' Am Ah going to die here?'

As she pondered upon the subject, she was surprised by her own reaction, which seemed to be rather peaceful acceptance of her demise. She tried to make herself panic, trying to instill the idea that she could not die yet, but it was no use. Her soul seemed to have accepted her own death as an inevitability.

------

Remy had circled around the maze of ventilation system for the second time, when he saw the others in their respective cells. He saw Rogue lying down on her stomach, with blood puddle surrounding her. He looked around with the thermal vision to find the guard just outside of the door. He decided to get the others before moving Rogue. As she was now, she wasn't much of help. He moved across the hallway then turned left. He looked down to see Alex looking up at him. Remy paused for a moment, unable to figure out whether Alex saw him or not. His question was answered when Alex looked back towards the door for a moment, then mouthed the words.

' What are you doing here, Remy?'

Remy smiled, then replied in the same manner, mouthing the words without making any noise.

' To rescue you.'

Alex seemed to be amazed at Remy's bravery. Even though he was an expert thief, he wasn't a ninja. He broke off the conversation fearing he might give something away to the guards. Remy continued on, reaching the others and contacting them of what he will do. He planned to come out to the hallway, then take down the guards, from then he planned to smash his way out to the escape hatch.

Unknown to Remy, the task force assigned to rescue Alex had already arrived in the area. The Assault Infantry company, as well as the 2nd Platoon had arrived the night before dropped from the air. They closed in on the last known location of the 3rd Platoon, exercising extreme caution to not to be detected. Josh led his men to setup a perimeter around the caves, ready to go in at moment's notice. He looked to about fifty meters to his right, where Lt. Emerson of the 2nd Platoon was. He gave a hand signal for them to hold their positions. Soon, the fists went up, signaling everyone to stop. They all switched to thermals and looked around. Once they made sure that they were not being followed or even detected, Josh signaled the advance once more. He saw the downed CA-102 in the middle of an opening, and he quickly instructed the second and third squads of the Assault Infantrymen under his command to wheel left and right to see if there were anyone waiting for ambush on the other side of the tree lines. As they moved away, Lt. Emerson came on the radio.

" Geez! Look at it! Its engine's shot up. No way that's zapper gun…"

Josh concurred.

" New weapons?"

" Probably…"

The two platoons that went around to the opposite side of the opening gave an all clear signal. While the Assault Infantry provided the perimeter, the Spec. Ops men rushed to check the downed aircraft along with Josh. They saw the dried blood on grounds, as well as a gigantic splatter against the hull of the aircraft. Josh looked at the log that was on the line of the fire, and kneeled in front of it. He examined the footprints, and what seemed to be dried remains of a puddle of blood. He looked back at the aircraft, then sighed.

" That new weapon sure does a lot of damage… Look at it."

Lt. Emerson looked at the carnage and shuddered.

" I've seen a lot, but this is… I've never seen this except for the archive files…"

Josh nodded.

" I agree…"

Josh then saw the neatly placed equipments in the crew compartment of the aircraft.

" We may have a survivor. I want your men to be careful who you shoot at. Remember, this is a rescue op."

Lt. Emerson scoffed.

" Tell that to yours, sir…"

Josh then found the very faint trail leading into the woods, and to the deeper part of the mountains.

" Squad two and three, I want you to hold the perimeter around the aircraft. Corporal Patterson, I want you to fix the aircraft and get it up and ready ASAP."

Cpl. Patterson saluted, then took off the rucksack he had on. He took out various tools and began the job of repairing the damaged engine as best as he could. He didn't like what he saw. Most of the power distribution circuitry was burnt out or in a state of near failure. He immediately saw why the pilots didn't take off right then and there when they first got hit. He guessed that it would have probably engulfed the whole craft into a one spectacular fireball if the pilot tried to take off with the damage. Only fortunate thing was that all the critical system was still active, though some parts such as cooling system and nozzles worried him. Under the cover provided by his friends, Cpl. Patterson began to work on the circuitry boards, testing out the range of damage so that he could either do a simple patch job, or bypass the circuits, or even replace the whole circuit board. He put away the diagnostic tools and began to detach the circuit board with a screwdriver. He removed the fried board off, then tossed it in the tool bag.

" Shit… I have to replace the whole board. Max. Hand me the replacement, will you?"

Another corporal who stood next to Cpl. Patterson reached into a fresh plastic bag, and handed the board. Soon, Cpl. Patterson replaced the board, and then ran the diagnostics once more.

" Done…"

They all relaxed a bit, then took position around the aircraft.

Rogue heard her cell door open, and saw Jenny entering the room. Rogue groaned, trying to move away. Jenny caught Rogue by her ankle, and then pulled her back.

" You're full of luck, aren't you? First, you have a relationship with Alex, and now… You're about to be our queen…"

Jenny laughed as she felt Rogue's whole body shudder.

" Oh, come on! You don't have to be scared… You don't know how empowering it is…"

Rogue's green eyes met Jenny's which casually stared back.

" Is dat Jenny talkin' or da thin' in her back?"

Rogue felt the grip on her ankle loosen, and her foot soon fell down on the ground. Jenny scoffed.

" To think that we owe our existence to your kind…"

Rogue saw Jenny leave the cell, and sighed in relief. Truthfully, she wasn't sure whether her body could take anymore torture. The wound began to ache as the anesthetics in the gels began to wear off. Her teeth clinched little by little, trying to ward off the pain. She then pondered at what Jenny had said. She wasn't sure what Jenny meant. It seemed as though things weren't as they seem.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will they escape? Is there something that they don't know about?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	21. Chapter 21

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Remy dropped into a small room at the end of the hallway. He was able to see all of the hallway to see whether there was a guard or not. He readied his weapons, as well as securing the weapons for the others. He was about to make his move when he heard a voice over the network.

" Sierra team. This is Victor-45. Do you read? I say again. This is Victor-45. Sierra team, do you read?"

Remy quickly took cover, and whispered.

" This is Sierra-52, I read you loud and clear."

Remy heard a loud sigh of relief on the other side, and the conversation began.

" Listen. I'm Captain Joshua Austin of the Earth Alliance Army Assault Infantry. I'm here with the 2nd Platoon of the Delta Company. We're here to pick you guys up."

Remy sighed quietly, then began to explain the situation.

" The cave is a vast network stretching for miles into the mountain. They're dug in pretty good, capitan…"

Josh on the other side chuckled.

" Okay, Remy. What's your plan?"

Remy shrugged, as if talking with Josh face to face.

" Well, Remy thought he would bust into the holding cells, and break outta here like a cowboy…"

Remy once again heard the chuckle.

" Okay. How about this? We'll draw out their attention by attacking them, and you do what you plan to do while they're distracted. How's that?"

Remy sighed, relieved to hear the support of the friendly.

" Roger."

He looked through the thermal imaging once more to make sure of the body counts and positions. He then got his weapon ready.

" Anytime, capitan."

Josh turned to the men around him, and nodded.

" Go."

The others spread out, covering the whole cave so that nothing hostile was getting out or getting in. As soon as Josh saw his men in position, he whispered into the radio.

" Go, private."

While he did so, he also signaled the 2nd Platoon to get ready to enter the caves in case something went awry.

Remy kicked the door open, then leveled the rifle at the alarmed guard's head. He took two shots, and then watched the body fall with a somewhat loud thud. He then followed the map display on his helmet visor to the cells of his friends that he had marked. He arrived at the cell where the other mutants were held. He knocked on the door, then hollered.

" Remy gonna open the door now!"

He quickly applied a small breaching charge on the hinges, and moved aside. He counted to three to himself, then blew the door up, smashing the door inward. Logan and the others came out, glad to see Remy. Remy then led the others to the cell where the girls were inside. Logan released his claws, then slashed the door open.

" Logan!"

" Let's get out of here!"

Remy turned to Logan.

" Remy gonna get the capitan and Rogue. Go to the escape hatch on the East corner."

Logan nodded, then led the other mutants to the escape hatch that Remy had explained to him. Remy, on the other hand, arrived at the solitary confinement block, and kicked the door open. He quickly dispatched the guards on either side of the hallway with the double taps to the heads that he had trained for a long time. He then carefully checked individual cells to find Alex waiting for him.

" What took you so long?"

Remy shrugged, then charged the door with his hands to explode.

" Stand back, sir."

Alex rushed back, and laid flat on the ground, with his arms covering his head. Soon, the door exploded, and the splints flew all around. Alex felt some of them striking his arms. When he got up, he saw his forearms bleeding from numerous puncture wounds.

" Shit!"

Remy handed his pistol to Alex.

" Sir."

Alex checked the weapon, then nodded.

" Let's get Rogue."

------

Rogue heard the explosions, and thought that some kind of aerial bombardment had begun. She let out a shallow breath, trying to remain conscious through out the whole ordeal. She knew that going into sleep right now was quite dangerous for her. Rogue's body was already shivering from loss of blood, and temperature. Her senses were blurry, unable to distinguish whether everything she sensed was real or imaginary. It was during this state that Alex arrived. He slammed the door, trying to get Rogue's attention.

" Rogue!"

Alex hollered for quite a while when he heard Rogue's reply of half words, and half moan.

" Alex?"

" Rogue, I'm coming. Just wait!"

Alex kicked the door again, and again, then finally loosened the hinge. He then carried his whole weight into the door as he slammed his shoulder into the wooden barrier. He fell flat on his side, then looked up at Rogue. The cell reeked of the smell of blood, and he could see something shiny surrounding Rogue's body. He turned to Remy.

" First Aid!"

Remy quickly threw a roll of bandage to Alex, who began to wrap it carefully around Rogue's torso. He then carried Rogue on his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulder.

" Lead the way, Remy."

Remy nodded, then slowly made his way towards the escape hatch. While doing so, he spoke over the radio, to the rescue force that awaited them.

" This is Sierra-52. I have Sierra team moving. Need cover."

" Roger, Sierra-52. Bravo team's moving into the escape hatch to assist your extraction."

Alex carried Rogue for a while, enduring the fatigued muscle that protested the additional weight on his back. He arrived at the hatch, then turned around to see if there was anyone following him. Remy was already standing guard with his weapon ready. He looked back at Alex, then hollered.

" Go, capitan! Remy got you covered."

Alex quickly secured Rogue on the harness that descended from the top, and tugged it twice to signal them to pull it up. He followed closely, guiding the board that held Rogue up in the air through the narrow passageway. He soon emerged out of the hole, and saw the 2nd Platoon covering them.

" Nice of you to join us, sir."

Alex smirked at Lt. Emerson, then looked at Rogue.

" Let's go, Remy."

Remy got out of the escape hatch, then closed it. The engineers from the 2nd Platoon quickly welded the hatch shut. Alex carried Rogue on his back again. They all dashed across through the trees to reach the place where the downed plane was. On the way, Logan saw the members of the Assault Infantry joining them from left and right. They formed a small perimeter around their 'packages,' providing covering fire that was overwhelmingly massive. Pietro thought for a moment that the firepower created by these guys outweighed anything he had seen. Fireballs from the explosions erupted everywhere as they launched grenades after another, while the machine gunners let out a constant stream of bullets into the suspected locations where the enemies might be. The barrels of the machine guns were glowing inch by inch as it began to overheat. Soon, the gunners began to open up their canteens and pour water over the barrels to cool it down so that they could fire again. Anything outside of this perimeter was almost a literal hell. There were screams everywhere, and the constant explosions of both the grenades, and the gun powders inside the chambers of the rifles lingered behind the screams. Their tired body felt as though they weighed tons. Fortunately, they spotted the downed CA-102 ready to go with its nuclear jet engines running, and hovering a foot off the surface.

" There's our ride!"

Alex turned around to see whether the others were with him when he felt a sharp pain like someone just stabbed a needle on his right leg. He fell down, with Rogue still on his shoulders. He attempted to get up, compelled to take Rogue to safety of the aircraft. Just as he got up, he felt an impact on his left leg, and fell backwards, and finally landed on Rogue. They both groaned, and screamed in pain. Remy, who was running backwards with his rifle firing away tripped on their bodies, and fell down. Remy quickly got up, then checked on Rogue, who coughed up blood that stained her lips.

" Shit!"

Josh quickly dashed towards Alex, and grabbed him, while Remy grabbed Rogue and pulled her to the aircraft. The dust kicked up everywhere as the projectiles from the alien guns landed on them, with much bigger effect than regular bullets. Through this hail of danger, everyone boarded the aircraft, and the one who was sitting in the pilot's seat punched the throttle to maximum power, not caring about the possibility of damaging the engine from his rough handling. The large aircraft sped off at extreme acceleration towards the ocean, and Jenny grunted in frustration.

' I'll get you yet…'

Back in the EANC-54 Seraphim, Colonel L'Moiré stood in the CIC nervously, with the other crew members also holding their breaths for any words from the second rescue force that had gone in. He had ordered them to scan every frequency, even those not associated with the military. Of course, they received a lot of garbage transmissions due to that decision, but they crossed their fingers in hopes that they would get back okay. The colonel had almost finished his fifth cigarette when there came a static over the network. The communications officer held his hand up, to get everyone to quiet down as if it would reduce the surrounding acoustic noise. He then flipped the switch to the intercom so that the others could hear the transmission.

" ….This is Victor-45. We have the Sierra element secured minus one, and are on our way home. Request medical team to stand by for two critically injured."

The CIC roared in joyous celebration. The colonel sighed, then snubbed the cigarette into the ashtray, smiled. He then turned to the others, gesturing them to get things ready. The other facilities, the infirmary and other places got busy, and the flight deck was cleared immediately for the arrival of their friendly forces. Those on the deck saw a shining object approaching from a far, and held their breaths. Soon, the CA-102 came into full view, and landed on the flight deck, battered from the battle damages, and abuses inflicted during their escape. As soon as the rear hatch came down, the medical crew went in, retrieving both Rogue and Alex and putting them on the stretchers. They ran into the small elevator and headed to infirmary.

The others looked around dazed as they stumbled out of the aircraft. The pitching of the ship as it sailed through the ocean wasn't even registered into their brains yet. Scott and Jean held each other in their arms and cried in joy, while Wanda sat down on the deck and cried in grief. The others had various reactions of their ordeal. During their emotional moments, the medics came, trying to check up on them.

" You okay?"

" You sure?"

" Let me see that scratch…"

Remy collapsed on to the deck, then took out his canteen to have a drink when Josh handed him his.

" Good job, soldier."

Remy quickly gulped down the water, and sighed.

" Thank you, capitan."

Josh nodded, then left. The guys from the Assault Infantry followed their CO into the ship, as well as the 2nd Platoon. When the medics were done with their preliminary assessments, they led the mutants into the ship as well.

------

The two double hinged doors crashed open as the medics rushed into the operating room with the two stretchers. They laid one another next to each other, and began to work on them.

" I need O-neg."

" Come on, people. We have to stabilize her!"

" Hook that IC!

The doctor ripped Alex's pants with the surgical knife, and then examined his leg, which gave Alex a full view of what the others were doing with Rogue. The doctors immediately began to remove her clothes hastily with their knives, and her midriff showed bare. When he saw that the doctor was about to remove the bracelet on Rogue's wrist, he screamed.

" Don't remove that! She's a mutant!"

The doctor looked at him for a moment, then left the bracelet alone. Alex then looked at the doctors working on Rogue change in their behavior. They were no longer moving in great efficiency, but rather showed hesitation. Alex looked down at his leg, which was bandaged up with great efficiency, and slid out of the bed. He then looked at the doctor who seemed to be in charge.

" Move."

The doctor stared at Alex.

" What are you doing, captain?"

" I'll treat her if you're not going to do anything."

The doctor scoffed.

" What are you going to do, captain? First aid?"

Alex shoved the doctor away, then limped towards the prep room, where he washed his hands thoroughly, then came out with surgical gear on. He winced at the deep stinging sensation in his leg, as he got ready with the tools.

" Give me the AV/AA tubes."

Alex took the tubes, which appeared much like any other blood vessels, and infused them to the arteries and veins that poured out the blood. He tried to work efficiently, connecting the severed parts and bypassing the circulatory networks to sustain Rogue's life. He then ordered the anesthetist to increase the dosage, then ordered the nurse to increase the blood intake. Alex's careful eyes watched for any place that might be leaking blood, and smiled as he found none. The other crew stood speechless at the whole ordeal. The doctor, himself, felt curious towards how Alex had thought of such approach.

" How?"

Alex sighed.

" We're going back to the states anyways, so we need to just stabilize her and stop her bleeding. Besides, I am not going to let her die… Not a chance in hell if I can help it."

The others remained silent, trying to read into what Alex meant. Soon, both Alex and Rogue were placed in the recuperating room, along with the other casualties. Alex laid next to Rogue's bed, watching her, and the monitors. The room was filled with other soldiers who suffered wounds of various degrees. The markings on their charts were all to familiar to Alex. The triage process was clearly marked with red, yellow and green colorings on the top left corner, immediately alerting the medical crew of what they should expect. There were some beds that were being cleared for the next casualty, while its previous occupants were sent to the temporary storage area where they could be buried by their families. Alex felt his heart tremble as he saw these empty beds. It meant another life extinguished by the storm of war, and he somehow felt that his turn was coming. The only thing that concerned him even more was whether it would be before his friends. Every time he fount drew him ever closer to the inevitable encounter with death. He was about to turn and sleep when the other mutants came into see him.

" Captain."

Alex smiled, then greeted them back.

" Hey!"

The others looked at the mutants with some disgust, though they didn't voice their dislike.

" So, how's Lieutenant Rogue, sir?"

Alex smiled back.

" She's okay. She'll need the transplant, though."

The others sighed.

" Well, we trust you to keep her safe, sir."

Alex nodded as he looked at Rogue sleeping peacefully. He figured that it would give them another break from combat for them to rest.

Colonel L'Moiré sat in his room, looking over the orders for his ship, Seraphim, which stated for them to send the 3rd Platoon to their base, while the Task Force Freedom was to continue its missions in the sea. He placed the order aside, then sat back to relax. He then gazed at the orders once more.

' What are they planning?'

------

A transport helicopter over flew the base once, where the pilot requested a permission to land. The tower granted immediately.

" Yellow-1-9, you are cleared to land. Medical crew's standing by."

The helicopter lowered its landing gears, and began its slow descent. The pilot gazed intensely into the instrument panels, while his hands kept precise movements. The craft landed smoothly, and the rear hatch dropped down as quickly as possible. Before the pilot had the chance to shut off the engines, the medical crew rushed in, and pulled the stretcher out. Quickly, they entered the medical facility, while the others in the helicopter walked out slowly to touch the ground again.

" Scott…"

" I know, Jean… All we can do is hope."

The mutants gathered around Alex, who began to brief them in on what will happen.

" We are to stand down until Rogue has recovered. It seems like we're not fighting much because of these frequent recalls, doesn't it?"

The others nodded.

" We don't really want to fight that much anyways…"

Alex nodded at Kitty's remark.

" Yeah…"

They all walked to their barracks with their gear, settling into the bunks despite their concerns about Rogue. Alex saw that the others had settled in, then rushed to the infirmary, where he could see how the surgery was going. Alex then saw Josh coming out of his barrack across from the 3rd Platoon's.

" Hey."

Josh nodded rather slowly, trying to convey his sympathy to his friend.

" Going to see Lieutenant Rogue?"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah…"

Josh patted Alex's shoulder.

" She'll be fine, Alex. She's a survivor."

Alex sighed with another nod.

" I guess you're right. By the way, where are you going?"  
Josh sighed.

" To tend to my wounded. Seems like this corporal under my command got a close encounter with the new weapon. I think he'll be discharged from the wounds…"

Alex's eyes widened.

" That bad, huh?"

Josh nodded.

" After that, I thought I'd go see Maria while I'm there. Gosh, she must be worried sick about me."

Alex let out a thin smile.

" At least she's waiting for you…"

Josh chuckled.

" What are you talking about? You fight _with_ your girlfriend."

Alex shrugged, then continued on to the infirmary. They went their separate ways after arriving in the front desk.

" See you later, Alex."

" See you later, Josh."

Alex walked towards the operating room, where the surgeons were still working to place the cybernetic kidney into Rogue's body. The surgeons were covered with blood, and Alex felt like throwing up for the first time ever since he joined the war. For so long, the sight of the blood, and gore didn't affect him. Yet, on witnessing someone he cared for in such a situation somehow returned him to emotions he left long time ago. He rushed to the restroom, then vomited into the toilet, then stumbled his way towards the faucet. He quickly washed up, then came out of the restroom when he saw Liz gazing into the operating room.

" Liz…"

Liz turned to her brother, then sighed.

" What happened?"

Alex sighed, then sat down on the chair.

" She got shot by their new weapon… She's been on first aid for got knows how long…"

Liz sat next to Alex, then leaned against his shoulder.

" I'm sure she's okay…"

Liz smelled of the distinct odor of the vomit, but didn't say anything. She knew it would be hard on her brother. Alex then continued.

" I saw Jenny… Well, what she has become… Turns out she was turned into those enemy…"

Liz gasped, then moved away from Alex to look straight into her brother's eyes.

" What do you mean?"

" She… She's now the one in charge of the American front… I even lost Private Toad…"

Liz switched her view towards Rogue.

" What's hard is to see Rogue being interrogated by none other than Jenny… She endured everything… I don't know if I could have…"

Liz hushed her brother.

" And you endured as well… You didn't reveal anything. You did your duty."

Alex scoffed.

" Duty?"

Alex then began to chuckle.

" Where does it say that a commanding officer's duty is to watch your own men suffer and do nothing?"

Jenny was about to say something when the door opened, and one of the surgeon came out. Alex immediately got up, looking at the surgeon for an answer.

" Is she going to be okay?"

The surgeon removed his mask, then nodded with a smile.

" It might take a while, but she'll live."

Alex's face lit up, as well as Liz. The surgeon continued.

" You can start visiting her as soon as she recuperates."

With that, the surgeon left with his crew, and both Alex and Liz walked to the barracks to relay the good news. The others were surprised to find Alex and Liz back.

" Sir? Ma'am?"  
Alex caught his breath, then spoke slowly.

" Well…Rogue's going to make it."

The others nodded with smiles, then cheered on. There were some who were quiet, though. Wanda was one of them. She was worried more about Toad for the moment. Alex's observant eyes spotted Wanda, and sat next to her.

" We're going to get him back."

Wanda sighed, then nodded slowly.

" Okay…"

Alex got up, after assuring Wanda once again. While Alex headed out, Liz sat next to Remy.

" So, I hear you're the one who rescued everyone…"

Remy blushed, while scratching his head.

" Well…"

Liz leaned close, then kissed Remy on his cheek.

" Thanks."

Liz then saw Remy's face become as red as his eyes, and snickered.

" My, my… You're blushing, Remy…"

The two left the barracks, while the others remained inside the barracks.

" Well, at least they can celebrate something…"

Pietro threw his shirt on the bed, then sighed. He then turned to Lance, who shrugged.

" Let's forget about it and try to go enjoy ourselves…"

Fred nodded, as well as Pyro. Pietro tapped his sister's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

" Come on, let's go."

Wanda shook her brother's hand away, then shook her head.

" Leave me alone…"

Pietro shrugged, then left the barracks with Fred and Lance. He knew it wasn't much of use to press the matter any further. His sister was hurt emotionally, and she was the only one who could fix it for herself. Kurt finished placing his belongings then glanced towards Wanda. He walked slowly, then sat on the bunk across hers.

" Are dyou okay?"

Wanda didn't answer. Her mind tried to rationalize what happened to Toad, one who professed his feelings for her. It was too short for her to fully understand, or comprehend it, but her heart ached with the loss as she remembered the new Toad again, and again. Finally, her mind registered Kurt's inquiry, then looked up.

" Huh?"

Kurt leaned in closer, then asked in a careful tone.

" Are dyou feeling okay?"

Wanda shook her head, then buried herself into the pillow. Kurt stood up, then gazed at Wanda for a while, then took a few steps.

" Ich'm sure he kan be saved… Zhey kan have zhe kure for mutation, remember?"

Wanda looked at Kurt to snap back at him, that she already knew it. However, when she saw the genuine concern in Kurt's eyes, she stopped herself. Her eyes eased, then spoke quietly, barely audible for others.

" Thanks…"

------

Rogue opened her eyes to see the white ceiling, not unlike from the one she remembered aboard the carrier's infirmary. She then expected the usual rocking motion of the ship at sea, but it was nonexistent. As her senses began to return, she heard the familiar chirping of the birds of inland, and the roaring of the engines of automobiles.

" Hmm…"

She then felt a gentle touch upon her left hand.

" How are you feeling?"

Rogue turned her gaze, then saw Alex smiling down at her.

" Alex…"

Alex chuckled briefly, then led Rogue's hand towards her old wound, which was now covered with flesh without any scar.

" How?"

Alex cocked his head, as if to clue her in on what happened earlier with Lance.

" Remember? Private Lance doesn't have any scar either."

Rogue sighed, then closed her eyes again.

" Rogue?"

She opened her eyes again, this time with tears glistening at the corners.

" Ah thought Ah wouldn't see yah ever again…"

Alex smirked, while gently grabbing Rogue's hand with both of his hands.

" What are you saying, silly? I'm not going to let you die like that…"

Rogue then quickly changed subject, as well as her expressions.

" How's Wanda takin' thin's?"

Alex sighed.

" Well, she's taking it hard… I don't blame her… After finding out that Jenny…"

Rogue became quiet, then sighed.

" Ah'm sorry…"

Alex shook his head.

" Don't worry about it. I guess I'll get over it again…"

Rogue shook her head.

" But it's part of who yah are, isn't it? Da reason dat yah even have feelin's for meh's because of her."

Alex paused for a moment, then hesitated to answer.

" I…"

Rogue scoffed.

" It's all over yahr face…"

Alex's eyebrows arced upward, with curiosity showing clearly from him.

" Yah see her in meh, don't yah?"

Alex remained silent, looking down at Rogue's hand.

" I do… Well, I used to… In the beginning, I thought that I got back someone I had lost. But now… I know the difference…"

Rogue touched upon Alex's face, causing him to look up at her eyes. Alex then continued.

" …Personally, I think that I made the right choice by choosing you…"

Rogue sighed, then closed her eyes.

" Ah would understand it if yah chose Jenny over meh…"

Alex shook his head with a smile.

" I've sworn an oath to myself. An oath that I will protect you no matter what. I'm not going to go half-assed with anyone. If I can help Jenny, it's fine, but I've already found someone else."

Rogue stared at Alex for a moment, then closed her eyes once again.

" If dat's what yah wish… Ah won't say anythin' about it."

Alex nodded, then held Rogue's hand firmly.

" Okay."

While Alex and Rogue spent a quiet time together, Scott and Jean sat together, with their faces resting against each other's shoulders. They didn't need to speak to know how each other felt. The months spent out in the battlefield, and their previous history together have created a special type of bond. Scott knew what Jean was feeling or thinking, and Jean knew of Scott as well. Of course, they thought that it was because of Jean's telepathy in the beginning. But now, they realized that they became much closer than before, much closer and understanding than when they were young teenagers in high school. It felt as though they were a married couple, just without any marriage certificate. They felt it somehow strange, yet understandable. Finally, Scott broke the silence.

" Are you hungry?"

Jean smirked, then nodded slowly.

" Yeah…"

The two got up and walked out of the barracks. However, they saw an order form hanging on the door.

" huh?"

They decided to wait until Alex came back, then continued on to the mess hall.

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Can they overcome their emotional distresses? Will Alex and Rogue's relationship enter a deeper stage? What about Jenny and the aliens? Also, what's the order about?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


	22. Chapter 22

Reluctant Acceptance

By: Wing Knight

Note: I do not own the X-Men: Evolution, and don't have money, so suing is ill-advised. You just won't get anything. This fic is Alternate Universe.

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Alex opened his eyes as a bright light came into his eyes. He then saw Rogue looking at him, and holding his hand gently.

" G'mornin'."

Alex smiled.

" Good morning."

Rogue groaned as she sat up right, lifting the upper side of the bed so that she was sitting up. A nurse came in, with two plates of food.

" There you go sir, ma'am."

Alex cocked his head, not understanding why the nurse brought two plates.

" Um…"

The nurse eyed Alex's leg, and shoulder.

" You're wounded too, sir. That makes you a patient. By the way, your bed's next to the lieutenant here, sir."

Alex looked at the empty bed to Rogue's left. He gasped.

" Oh! Sorry about that…"

Alex then looked at the rank on the nurse. He found a lone chevron of a private.

" …Private."

The nurse nodded, then left. Alex and Rogue looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

" Yah forgot yah're a patient?"

Alex shrugged.

" Hey. I still operated on you, didn't I?"

Rogue looked at her wound, as if trying to find a fault. Alex cocked his head in curiosity.

" What are you doing?"

Rogue answered while laughing.

" Just lookin' for anythin' wrong with it."

Alex protested playfully.

" Hey. I'm not that bad…"

Rogue nodded, then leaned closer towards Alex, but groaned at the pain. Alex quickly leaned towards Rogue to see if she was okay, and their lips met rather conveniently. Alex saw Rogue closing her eyes, then embraced her in his arms. When they broke away, Rogue looked at Alex with a smirk.

" Yah sly fox, yah…"

Alex just smiled, then got into his own bed. They both gazed at each other throughout the day, enjoying their presence. It hadn't been long when Gina entered the room with a bouquet of flowers.

" Alex!"

Alex's eyes widened, then looked at Gina entering the room.

" What are you doing here?"

Gina shrugged, as if to protest Alex's line of questioning.

" What do you mean? I'm going to be your fiancé, and what's wrong with me coming here?"

Gina then eyed Rogue, who was sleeping again.

" You're still hung up on that mutant?"

Alex stared at Gina fiercely, but she didn't even flinch. She placed the flower next to Alex, then took a seat next to his bed.

" Too bad those aliens didn't finish her off…"

Alex's eyes flamed with anger.

" What did you say!"

Gina smirked.

" It doesn't matter what she does, Alex… You're mine."

With that, Gina got up and headed to the door. At the last moment, however, she turned around and blew Alex a kiss. Alex closed his eyes, feeling rather disgusted by the event. He closed his eyes, and tried to go to sleep, but the memories of Jenny and Rogue back in South America kept emerging. He tossed around the bed, then groaned as he accidentally laid down on his wound.

' Damn, that hurt!'

He was finally able to fall asleep, with his face looking towards Rogue.

The other mutants enjoyed the relative quietness in the base, undisturbed by the other units. Scott and Jean, along with Kitty and Piotr were able to engage in their relationship fully. They gathered in the beach, or other places to have fun with the others or be alone. Occasionally Remy and Liz joined in, and gave news about Alex and Rogue's conditions. Things were looking bright for the moment for everyone. Even Wanda seemed to have gotten around her feelings, and joined in on some of the activities. Today was no different, with everyone gathered around the beach for a barbeque, thanks in large part to Liz who brought the necessary items as well as drinks that only she, and four others were qualified to drink. While eating the nicely roasted meat chunks, they discussed what happened to themselves, letting their emotions run free. Ororo and Logan handed the food out, while the others sat down on the beach with bare feet and watched the stars. They felt strange at the relative peace around them. The continued war had become a part of them, with their whole mind accepting the violence around them as a part of their existence without realizing it themselves. It also brought them closer. The desperate struggle for survival have left them without any ill-feelings of the past, which based its roots on how they should interact with the humans. Comparing the past with present, they were getting along much better than before. At least they were wanted, or rather, needed now.

" Do you know how Rogue's doing, Liz?"

Liz nodded.

" Alex and Rogue should be out of the infirmary in a few days. Apparently they've recovered well."

The others sighed in relief. In truth, they were concerned as to why the two of them had not returned yet. They all figured that it might be more serious than they thought, but the news of their expected return had calmed their concerns. Wanda was joined in by Kurt, who brought her a second plate.

" You hungry?"

Wanda took the plate, then took a bite of the burger. She then looked at Kurt without any words. He was about to get up when Wanda held him by his wrist.

" Wait… Don't go."

Kurt sat back down, putting his own plate on his lap.

" So…"

Wanda sighed, then explained.

" I just want someone next to me… That's all…"

The two remained until the sun extinguished into the ocean. The others packed up and headed back to the barracks, while Wanda gazed into the stars with Kurt by her side.

" They're beautiful… I never felt like this about them…"

Kurt nodded.

" Ja… Beautiful indeed…"

------

Alex and Rogue got into their own uniforms, and came out of the hospital with a refreshed feeling. The two stepped into the barracks, where the others greeted them.

" Hey! You're back!"

Both Rogue and Alex smiled back at the others' greeting. As they settled into their offices, Jean came to Alex with the orders that they found attached to the door not too long ago.

" Sir… Here's the orders from the headquarters…"

" Thank you, Jean."

Alex waited for Jean to leave the room, then opened the envelope. He began to read the orders, then sighed as he placed it back in the envelope.

' Third Platoon is to report to the Weapons Development Department for issuance of new equipments…'

Alex looked at the image of himself in the mirror, which wasn't that good. The stay in hospital had not given him a chance to take a proper bath, and frankly, he stank. He took off his uniform and wrapped the towel around himself. He came out of his office and went into the shower. He closed the door to his little block and began to wash up. He felt his muscles relax as the hot water ran down his body. He then heard the door to another shower block opening and closing. He turned his head to see the familiar brown and white of Rogue. He then saw her looking at him, with her green eyes smiling.

" So, sir… What's our orders?"

Alex turned around with his hairs still coated with the shampoo.

" Apparently we're going to get a new equipment. We're supposed to report to the Weapons Development Department."

Rogue finished washing her hair and then moved down to her body, which she knew was ridden with body soil. Soon, she finished and came out of the showers, and Alex did at the same time. The two checked each other out, eyeing the other's toweled body while their faces reddened with embarrassment. Alex then gestured towards the door.

" Ladies first."

Rogue shook her head.

" No, sir… Superior first…"

Alex then held on to Rogue's hand.

" I can see that we'll just argue our way towards eternity, so here's an idea. Let's go together."

The two opened the door to find the barrack empty. There was a little note that was stuck to the door, which made the two feel rather embarrassed.

' Enjoy your time together, we'll be out in the beach should you decide to join us.'

Rogue looked at Alex, as if to ask what they should do. Alex only smiled back, then led Rogue to a secluded corner. They looked at each other's eyes for a while, not making any moves. Alex's lips finally touched upon Rogue's, with Rogue letting out a quiet moan. Like any other brief moments of intimacy they had, they proceeded carefully. Rogue felt Alex's hand reaching towards her towels, then the fabric slowly loosening up. She hesitated at the thought of taking it further than she had experienced before. Alex stopped when Rogue hesitated.

" What's wrong?"

Alex saw Rogue's pale cheeks turning pink.

" Ah… Ah've never done dis before…"

Alex smiled, then continued.

" Don't worry… It's actually first for me too…"

They stepped into Rogue's quarters, locking the door behind them. Their display of affection was taken to new levels as inhibitions began to fall away little by little.

The president sat calmly in his office, going through the latest reports. He heard of the ordeal that his son went through, which caused him to worry about his safety a little. He then moved his files to a corner of the desk, and picked up the phone. He soon got the operator answering him in a sweet voice.

" How may I be of service, Mr. President?"

" Get me my son."

" Right away, sir."

Soon, the president heard the ringing of the dial tone as he waited patiently for the call to get through. The phone rang for a quite a while when he hung up in fury.

" What the hell's going on!"

The president slammed his fist on the table, then growled for a while, trying to vent his anger. Finally, he calmed down. He took a deep breath, and continued with his work, deciding to inquire on the matter later.

Alex opened his eyes to see Rogue sleeping soundly. He watched her sleep so peacefully. He then thought of Gina. He wanted to end the matter once and for all. It was so tiring to be bothered by Gina, who was seeking this relationship out of search for power. Rogue woke up, and saw Alex in deep state of thinking.

" What're yah thinkin' about?"

Alex's eyes met with Rogue's, and he quickly tried to loosen up.

" It's nothing."

Rogue scoffed.

" Yeah, right… Ah know dat look… Ah've seen it before…"

Alex sighed out loud.

" Okay, you got me…"

He took off the bottom part of his dog tag, and handed it to Rogue.

" Will you marry me?"

Rogue laid dumbfounded, not knowing what in the world he was talking about.

" What do yah mean? Ah thought yah said yah'll consider marriage only after da war's over."

Alex shook his head.

" I realized that it might not even happen… I want to marry you. I don't want to waste my time waiting anymore."

Alex then realized how uncomfortable Rogue appeared. Her right hand was still open, with his dog tag plate still on it. Alex placed his hands on top and bottom of Rogue's right hand, and came closer, with their eyes resting just inches off of each other.

" Please…"

Alex felt the tremble in Rogue's hand, and gently closed her hand for her.

" …marry me."

Rogue closed her eyes for a while, then nodded slowly.

" O…okay…"

Alex smiled, then looked at Rogue.

" Well?"

Rogue squinted her eyes, trying to inquire as to what Alex meant.

" What do you mean?"

Alex reached towards Rogue's neck, and touched upon the dog tags. He then took off the lower one, and replaced it with the one that Rogue held moments ago.

" That…"

The two got out of the bed, each covering themselves with parts of beddings. They slipped into the uniforms, and walked out of the room. He saw the others smirking.

" How are you doing, sir? Ma'am?"

Rogue's pale face quickly reddened with embarrassment, and rushed back into her room. Alex also went into his room with some guilt. He then heard the knock on the doorframe behind him.

" Can I come in?"

Liz came into the room, not even waiting for her brother's answer.

" Don't be embarrassed… I understand…"

Alex sat nervously. Liz stared at her brother with confusion.

" Why are you so nervous?"

Alex sighed.

" I've never… I've never done this before… Even with Jenny… I hadn't gone this far… God! This feels so strange…"

Liz sat next to her brother, and got a glimpse at the dog tag.

" Alex? You've proposed to Rogue?"

Alex nodded, while his legs and hands shook from the nervous twitch. Liz giggled at her brother's predicament.

" Wow! I've never seen you like this."

Alex muttered playfully.

" Shut up…"

Liz giggled even more, and sighed.

" Now I wonder when Remy's going to propose…"

Alex smiled.

" Why don't you go talk with Rogue on that? Don't make me more nervous than I already am."

Liz got up, and waved her hand.

" See you later."

Alex smiled as he waved back. He then plopped down on his bed, sighing as he did so. Meanwhile, Liz entered Rogue's room, where Rogue was covering her face with her hands. Liz worried that Rogue might be crying, but she didn't let out any noise that was assimilated to the act of crying. When Rogue removed her hands, she was half laughing, and half embarrassed.

" Oh mah god… What'd Ah do?"

Liz sat down, smiling.

" Well, it's natural…"

Rogue sighed.

" Ah meant mah age… Ah'm only seventeen…"

Liz rebutted.

" A seventeen year old, _not counting the cryogenic process, _with numerous combat experience. I've got to say you're more like mid twenties in your mind…"

Rogue sighed, and looked at her dog tags.

" So is dis like da formal way for engagement?"

Liz shook her head.

" Not really. It's still the ring that seals the deal, but the dog tag's a thing that Alex cooked up. You can think of it as a promise that he'll hand you the ring very soon."

Rogue nodded her head slowly.

" Ah see…"

They talked for a while, concerning each other's relationships. Soon, Alex dropped in.

" We have to report to the Weapons Development Department soon. I suggest you get ready."

Liz waved good bye, and left to go back to her duty. Rogue got into her uniform and followed everyone outside. A bus waited for them, and they all boarded.

------

Gina walked through a corridor, filled with men in suit and guns. As she neared the door at the end of the hallway, one of them opened it for her, revealing the familiar oval office. The president welcomed her.

" Welcome, Gina. Come in. Have a sit."

" I prefer to stand, sir."

The president smiled, while sitting down himself.

" You don't need to call me that."

" But I do, sir. I wish to return to being a soldier."

The president's eyes widened.

" Why?"

Gina answered quickly, in an almost rehearsed manner.

" Because I want to be with Alex, sir."

The president nodded, but leaned closer with the hands gathered together.

" I see… I was about to approve the creation of a new unit called 'Guardian' overseeing the mutant platoon. Why don't you lead that unit? You can spend more time together with Alex."

Gina hesitated for a moment.

" What about that mutant officer?"

The president smirked.

" Don't worry about it. You'll be a Captain, and she'll still be a Lieutenant."

Gina smiled as she got up. She saluted, and left the office. She went to her room to pack her uniforms, all the while feeling good about what's to come. She stepped out of the room, and headed into the awaiting limo. The black limo took off as soon as she entered.

The bus arrived at the Weapons Development Department Proving Ground near the base. There were a lot of prototype weapons about, being tested by various people. There was a table with vests and rifles on top. The man in front of the table with a tablet computer became delighted at the sight.

" Welcome, 3rd Platoon."

The mutants gathered around the table, and picked up each of the vests with their names on the back. The man started.

" That is Mark-7 body armor. Thanks to the enemy rail gun, we were able to find a perfect countermeasure for it."

Alex scoffed.

" What is it made of?"

The man's face brighten up.

" It's based on the previous Mark-5 body armor, but it's made of new synthetic material that hardens at the moment of the impact and go back to being flexible. We call it Phase Shift Fiber. Also, the layer of micro capacitors should keep you safe from the electricity."

Alex nodded his head impressed.

" Nice… What's the rifle then?"

" That would be M-3AR1 assault rail rifle. It holds 50 round in the curbed magazine and it also houses power source to fire it. In case you get confused with your M-3A1s, we've made the M-3AR1s' magazines with black plastic."

Alex laid down the vest on the ground, then picked up the rail rifle. He pulled the lever on the side, charging the rifle to fire. He then aimed down at the vest.

" I wonder if it will penetrate…"

Alex fired the rifle to find the projectile crushed against the body armor.

" Cool…"

The others wore the vest to see how it felt. They were surprised by the fact that the weight was virtually the same as their old ones, though as time passed by, the weight became apparent.

" Tad bit heavier, isn't it?"

Scott nodded.

" Yes, sir…"

Rogue also noticed the weight, then held the rifle to see how heavy it was.

" Da rifle's a little lighter than da old rifle…"

As the others lined up against the target range, Alex aligned the rail rifle's dot sight.

" Let's see what this thing can do."

Alex squeezed the trigger, and heard a low pitched electrical zap and the tin can being destroyed almost before he thought he heard the shot. The others adjusted their sights after firing, and signed off on the weapons. As they prepared to head back to the base, a sergeant handed a paper to Alex.

" New orders, sir."

Alex scanned through the orders, and handed it to Rogue. She read it carefully, then handed it back to Alex.

" So dey want us to go to da Asian front?"

Alex nodded.

" Yeah. I guess the brass wants to give you guys a world tour."

Rogue then pointed to the bottom of the orders.

" What's dis Guardian unit?"

Alex shrugged.

" I don't know… Who's leading the Guardian unit?"

The sergeant smirked.

" Don't you know, sir? Your fiancé just got promoted to captain, and Guardian unit's her command."

Alex's eyes widened.

" What! Who are the men under her command?"

The sergeant shrugged.

" Don't know, sir. I just heard a second hand rumors about it in the headquarters, sir."

Alex nodded, then dismissed the sergeant. Even as they boarded the bus back to base, he couldn't think of any men who would gladly serve under Gina. She just lacked experience in combat. He began to suspect ulterior purpose of this Guardian unit. It was becoming more and more clear as he thought that this was indeed an oversight unit, designed specifically to make sure that the mutants under his command were not receiving any special treatment.

' What are you thinking, father?'

During their bus ride, Rogue sat next to him quietly. Alex noticed the seriousness in her eyes.

" Something wrong?"

Rogue shook her head.

" No, sir. Just wondered where yahr name came from, sir?"

Alex chuckled.

" Isn't it a little bit too late to ask a question like that?"

Rogue also smiled.

" Ah guess so… Ah just wondered if yah're named after a family member or somethin'."

Alex took a deep breath, then began.

" From what I can gather, I'm named after the historical figure called Alexander the Great. I guess my father expect me to become someone as great as the Alexander… He probably expect me to start conquering other planets like Alexander the Great did with the other nations around Macedonia…"

Rogue remained silent, expecting him to continue with the story. Alex noticed the awkward silence, and continued.

" …Truth is… I'm becoming a lot like the model that my father wishes me to be. I mean, I don't know whether you know this or not, but Alexander married a foreigner named Roxanne, and I'm going to marry you, the only outcast in the world… Thinking about other things, I feel like there is no escape for me at all… May be when this war's over…maybe then I can throw away all the burdens and become a normal person…"

Rogue brought Alex closer, resting his head upon her chest.

" Yah're Alexander Bradford, and dat's it. Yah shouldn't compare yahrself with Alexander the Great 'cause dere's no comparison… Yah just have to be yahrself, Alex…"

Alex remained still, while holding onto Rogue's left hand. He felt at ease with himself. With the burden of his destiny thrown off, he felt himself in control of his own fate.

------

Gina stopped in front of a large warehouse, where many people wearing one piece suit of the mechanics.

" Bring out the new models!"

The doors to the warehouse opened slowly, revealing five, bipedal machines. The mechanics rolled out a sixth machine, which turned out to be a suit of armor.

" That's the armor for you, captain. It has the control units for the others."

Gina examined the armor carefully, there were many weapons already built in like the machines. Just then, Minister Roseberg let out a smile.

" So, do you like it?"

Gina turned around with smile of her own.

" Yes."

She stepped into the armor, which closed on the front as the panels closed and covered the body. She then got the helmet on. Much like the standard issue helmet, the front visor began to run the diagnostics. Various areas of the armor checked out fine, and the armor began to respond to Gina's physical movements.

" This isn't that bad…"

Minister Roseberg scoffed.

" Of course! It's the best armor we've created so far."

Gina stepped towards the firing range. She moved her arms, and saw the aiming reticule follow her arm's movement. She then picked up the same M-3AR1 Assault Rail rifle that the 3rd Platoon received. The visor on the helmet displayed every information about the rifle, including the heat level. She activated the machines, which whirred to life, and then lined up next to her as she imagined. The robots aimed their arm towards the target, and a small gatling popped out of the forearm, and began to cycle through. Soon, the target was blown to shreds by volley from the gatling gun. Gina stepped out of the armor, fairly impressed.

" Captain Roseberg?"

Gina turned around, and saw a man, in fact, a second lieutenant of very handsome appearance that suited Gina's taste.

" Lieutenant?"

The man snapped to attention, while saluting.

" Lieutenant Kevin Olivers, reporting for duty ma'am!"

Gina's eyes trailed across Kevin's body, examining this young officer unconsciously. Lt. Olivers stammered nervously.

" Ma'am?"

Gina shook her thoughts away, then took the folder from Lt. Olivers' hands. As she read the orders, Kevin explained.

" They've assigned me to be your XO. I am honored ma'am."

Gina sighed, then closed the file.

" What's your opinion about mutants?"

Kevin shrugged.

" They're mutants… Anything that I should consider on top of that, ma'am?"

Gina smirked. She liked this one.

" I'm just asking because we're going to be overseeing the 'Mutant Platoon'."

Kevin seemed surprised for a moment. Gina cocked her head.

" You didn't know?"

Kevin shook his head.

" We still have mutants?"

Gina sighed.

" You know Captain Alexander Bradford, right?"

Kevin nodded.

" The president's son, right ma'am?"

Gina nodded.

" Yes. He is the commanding officer of the 3rd Platoon, 7th Corp, 5th Special Forces Division, 8th battalion, Delta company. Also known as the Mutant Platoon."

Gina was satisfied to see the confused appearance from Kevin.

" Okay… Let's move out."

" Ma'am!"

------

Alex ordered everyone to rearrange their gears, and to take plenty of rest. He then brought out the forest camouflages. While packing his belongings, he took a glimpse into Rogue's quarters, where he saw her looking back at him. He smiled, even though he felt embarrassed that he had been caught looking at her. Rogue just smiled back. The others finished one by one, while Rogue took time to clean her weapons. Alex came into the room, bringing his own weapons.

" Can't sleep?"

Rogue sighed.

" Seems like Ah never can…"

Alex sighed, then stripped his own rifle down into basic components. He then took out a small box.

" Well… I guess it's time for me to give you this…"

Rogue saw the small box open and a silvery band studded with diamonds all around. Alex scratched his head.

" I wanted to get you one with a big diamond, but I figured this won't get in your way when you handle your weapon."

He then took Rogue's hands, and placed the ring on Rogue's wedding finger. He also placed the dog tags back.

" I kept my promise, didn't I?"

Rogue nodded.

" Ah guess yah did…sir…"

Alex smiled.

" When we're alone like this…just call me Alex."  
Rogue grinned.

" Okay…Alex."

They went on with cleaning their weapons without any further words. However, Alex stole a glance of Rogue staring at her ring every now and then. He smiled inwardly at himself, and reassembled his weapon. After he finished up, he leaned towards Rogue, and gave a peck on her cheek.

" Go to sleep. You'll need it."

Rogue nodded, and packed her gear for the last time. She then tucked herself into bed, and closed her eyes. However, her thoughts lingered on the ring. With long and strenuous efforts to fall asleep, Rogue finally achieved her rest.

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As the 3rd Platoon find themselves settling down slowly, will Gina's new Guardian units disturb this inner peace? Will this war ever come closer to the end?

I hope you enjoyed this one. Please, R & R. I would love to have your comments.


End file.
